John Lewis has reported a decline in its weekly sales as demand for Clearance items tailed off and home sales dropped.

The department store retailer posted a 2.8% decline in sales in the week to January 18.

Home posted the steepest decline during the period, down 9.3% as the retailer said it “sold through many lines to clear space for Spring Summer 2020 product”.

Fashion sales declined 2.8% during the period, but sales of menswear products increased 7.3%, spurred by competitor price matching.

Electricals and home technology sales rose 1.4% year on year, bolstered by “new product launches and Windows 7 reaching end of life, which led to customers upgrading their existing devices”.

At sister retailer Waitrose, sales declined 2.8%, exacerbated by a 7.1% decline in home and general merchandise sales.

Sales across ambient lines also declined 3.3%, though the retailer said there was strong demand for flowers and plants.

Sales across the partnership declined 2.9% overall to £199.5m.

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