John Lewis boosted by Christmas sales surge
JOHN Lewis Partnership reported bumper Christmas sales, despite the snowy conditions that robbed other retailers of a seasonal boost.
Sales at its John Lewis department stores in the five weeks to 1 January were £545m, up 8.9 per cent from a year before.
The strong performance was driven by its electrical and home technology department, as well as a 42 per cent rise in online sales, the partnership said in its trading update.
Like-for-like sales, which considers sales at stores open at least 12 months, rose by 7.6 per cent.
Meanwhile, its supermarket chain Waitrose said it will open 39 new stores in the UK this year, creating 3,000 new jobs. Convenience stores – which are smaller versions of the supermarket – will account for 27 of the outlets. Christmas sales at Waitrose were also strong, up 8.9 per cent for the week to 23 December.