Soccer star Rashford nets young fans for Burberry

A soccer star is helping Burberry to stay on target.

England and Manchester United player Marcus Rashford has appeared in campaigns for the British luxury brand.

And it seems to be working.

The firm said Wednesday (January 21) that it would stick to its outlook for the year, despite all the headwinds.

It says demand in Asia is strong, and higher sales of full-price goods are lifting margins.

But last year's lockdowns initially cut sales by 45%, and Burberry says trading remains susceptible to disruption around the world.

Different regions tell different stories.

In the third quarter Burberry store sales were down 37% in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, hit by shop closures and a lack of tourists.

But sales were up 11% in the Asia Pacific.

Now the choice of Rashford as a model looks timely, at least in the UK.

He's recently won acclaim there for a campaign to ensure poorer children don't go hungry when schools are forced to shut down.