John Lewis’ sales jumped last week off the back of strong results across its fashion range, but Waitrose struggled across its categories.  

The department store chain reported that total sales for the week ending July 6 were up 1.3% year on year, as “customers continued to enjoy shopping summer clearance”.

Fashion sales were up 6.2%, driven predominantly by buoyant performances across its beauty, wellbeing and leisure range, which soared 12.4%.

John Lewis home sales ticked up 0.5%, while sales of gift food jumped 11.4% off the back of sales of confectionary and alcohol.

Sales of electricals, however, were down 3.2% year on year.

Waitrose reported a 4.1% drop in sales excluding fuel, with all categories seeing downturns.

John Lewis Partnership endured a rocky first half of the year and posted a steep fall in full-year profits in March.

In the 52 weeks to January 26, profits before bonus, tax and exceptionals slid by 45.4% to £160m, while gross sales advanced 1% to £11.72bn.

At the time, departing chair Sir Charlie Mayfield said 2018 had been “an exceptionally challenging year” for the retailer.

The retailer said it would be looking to outsource or make redundant around 375 department store roles across the country.

In June, John Lewis announced that Mayfield’s successor would be former Ofcom boss Sharon White.

White is due to take up the role in early 2020, though an exact start date has not been announced.

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