French dairy firm Groupe Bel saw sales fall on an organic basis in the third quarter, hit by declines in Europe.
The Leerdammer and Babybel owner booked a 1.7% drop in organic sales for the three months to the end of September.
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On a reported basis, sales were up 3.9% at EUR731m (US$789.3m) but the result was helped by foreign exchange and changes to the scope of the business, which earlier this year acquired a majority stake in Moroccan group Safilait.
Reported sales in Bel's largest division – western Europe – decreased 1.3% in what the company called "fiercely competitive and contracting markets".
In the group's north and east Europe division, sales dropped 11.8%, hit by foreign exchange, the troubles in Ukraine and a weaker economic environment across the region.
Sales in Bel's combined Americas and Asia Pacific business jumped by over 31%, helped by currency fluctuation and increasing Babybel sales in the US.
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By GlobalDataIn Africa, the investment in Safilait boosted sales but Bel said it had seen "expansion" in all markets.
In Bel's near Middle East unit, sales were up on a reported basis thanks to foreign exchange but down at constant currencies amid what the company called a "deteriorating geopolitical environment in numerous markets".
For the first nine months of 2015, Bel said sales rose 6.5% to EUR2.2m (US$2.4m) in the period to the end of September. On an organic basis, stripping out the impact of foreign exchange and one-off items, sales inched up 0.7%.
