John Lewis maintains sales success

UK retailers John Lewis Partnership today built on its Christmas trading cheer with “a thumping gain” in department store business in the last week of its sale.

The chain delivered an increase of 16.9% in the week to January 13 on figures for 2005, despite torrential rain last week.

John Lewis also reported a respectable rise of 9.6% in sales at its supermarket business Waitrose, as shoppers braved the elements to generate a total group sales increase of 12.5%.

Gareth Thomas, director of retail operations for the John Lewis department store chain, said: “The final week of clearance ended on a very high note, with a thumping gain of 16.9% including increases from every single branch.”

Demand for clothing was subdued, but the week’s star sellers included computers and large electrical items, increasing the electricals and home technology division’s turnover by 32%.

Sales at the company’s online arm, johnlewis.com, also soared in the final week of clearance, by 88.5%, while catalogue sales from John Lewis Direct leaped 88% on 2006.

At Waitrose, strong sales in salads, oily fish and organics helped boost the week’s trading figures, as shoppers embarked on a New Year health drive after the festive season, according to the group.

Seymour Pierce analyst Andrew Wade said it was a “stunning week” for the group.

The January sales trading figures follow a record Christmas trading period for John Lewis.

The group, which owns 26 department stores as well as 183 Waitrose supermarkets, posted like-for-like sales growth in the five weeks to January 6 of 10.8% after three weeks of record sales.

It also achieved its best trading day ever on December 27, when it banked £18.3m (€27.9m).