John Lewis sales buoyed by early Mother’s Day

Overall sales at the department store retailer jumped 11.6% year-on-year in the seven days to March 10, as Mothering Sunday fell two weeks earlier this year than last.

The event boosted its fashion sales by almost 18%, with cashmere, beauty and fragrance the “standout” performers.

Home sales advanced 3.9%, while gifting, cook and dine sales jumped 35%.

Mother’s Day gifting also impacted John Lewis’ electricals and home technology category – up 13% last week, with coffee machines proving popular.

Waitrose

At Waitrose, sales advanced 14.3% last week as the grocer also benefited from Mother’s Day. 

Shoppers bought a variety of treats, including boxed chocolates, flowers, gin and wine.

Trade, it said, was also buoyed by shoppers stocking up on warm foods and essentials after snow in many areas of the UK thawed.

Across the partnership, sales last week jumped 13.2% to £228m.

Last week, the group reported plummeting full-year pre-tax profits.