UK retailer John Lewis reports fall in sales

British department store chain John Lewis today said trading conditions remained challenging after its second successive week of lower sales.

The group reported a 1.4% drop in revenues for the seven days to last Saturday, following the 5.3% decline announced the previous week.

John Lewis enjoyed strong trading in July, but admitted the latest figures were a reminder 2009 remains “the most challenging of years for retailers”.

Meanwhile, the Waitrose side of the John Lewis Partnership continued to trade well after sales rose 10.4% to £80.3m (€92.8m) in the week. Recent industry figures put Waitrose’s market share at 3.9%, up from 3.7% in 2008.

The supermarket chain has benefited from the popularity of its Essentials range, which has attracted shoppers in the difficult trading environment.