UK packaging and office products company DS Smith, the parent company of wholesalers Spicers, said it traded above its own expectations in the third quarter, and was confident of meeting its full-year view.

However, the producer of recycled packaging said it continued to face uncertainty over the strength of a revival in the economy and the need to recover rising input costs.

Demand for office products across its markets was substantially hurt by slowdown in the European economy, but combined profits outside the UK were in line with the last year, DS Smith said.