John Lewis weekly sales jump 8.3% as electricals drive growth

The department store retailer said it experienced a “mixed bag of events” as snow affected some regions at the start of the week while half term fell later in the southeast of England.

The retailer said Sunday was its best day, when sales surged 16%. Saturday was also strong, up 11.5%.

It said its top five performing shops “show the strength in the width” of the John Lewis offer  – with both small and large shops across the country “doing well”. Chester’s John Lewis at Home store was up 24.9% while its flagship mainline department store on London’s Oxford Street experienced a 9.7% sales rise.

Johnlewis.com sales rocketed 30.4%, with the “lion’s share of online growth” again coming from electricals and home technology. Fashion also showed “strong” growth.

Overall, across all channels, electricals and home technology “again showed strong growth”, up 29.9%. Fashion sales increased 2%, driven by menswear and sports.

However, home sales slipped 1.9% despite rises in bed linens and upholstery. John Lewis director, selling operations, Region B, David Barford, said: “Looking ahead we have all to play for as new season stock arrives and the new spring/summer furniture assortments are now in place.”

At sister chain Waitrose, sales were up 12.4% to £116.9m as shoppers stocked up on treats for Shrove Tuesday and Valentine’s Day. The upmarket grocer detected signs of “spring fever” as sales of cleaning and laundry products grew.

The milder weather also encouraged shoppers to buy salads and soft fruit.