John Lewis Partnership’s weekly sales figures were affected by the ongoing “gloomy weather” despite a host of new products being launched across the group.

Waitrose & Partners’ sales were down 2.1% for the week to August 17 as the country “continued to experience mixed weather”.

Ambient and non-ambient food sales both fell 1.8% despite a 9% increase in home baking products ahead of the first episode of TV show The Great British Bake Off’s new series.

The grocer announced it would be the first supermarket to sell pullet eggs – smaller eggs produced by younger hens at around 18 weeks old – to offer its customers “the best quality eggs you can get for cooking”.

Home and general merchandise sales fell 7.3% during the same week, although cut flowers and outside horticulture “performed well”.

John Lewis & Partners’ total sales for the same period decreased 2.8% compared with the same week the previous year.

Fashion sales declined 4.3%, but women’s accessories sales were up 3.1%, bolstered by a 26% increase in premium handbag sales.

Home sales were down 5.9% during the same week, but the department store saw a 15% increase in its House by John Lewis range as students prepared to go back to university.

Electrical and home technology had a slight 1.3% uptick in sales, driven by a 13.8% increase in new launches from its Vision range.

John Lewis Partnership’s total weekly sales were down 2.4% to £200.2m for the period, compared with £205.4m in the same week the previous year.

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