John Lewis’ sales were boosted by a stellar womenswear performance as unseasonably cold weather started to bite.
The department store retailer’s sales rose 6.5% to £87.31m in the eighth week of its second half. In the first eight weeks they rose 5%.
Both shops and online drove growth with fashion sales up 8.6% driven by womenswear, up 18.2% and menswear, up 13.4%.
Electrical and home technology sales were up 11.1% fuelled by strong mobile sales due to Apple launching the i-phone X and i-phone 8.
At sister grocer Waitrose, sales rose 2.8% to £126.67m in the eighth week and were up 1.9% in the eight weeks.
Waitrose IT director Mike Sackman said that the grocer’s Waitrose Essential marketing campaign drove volume sales.
“Stand-out Essential Waitrose success stories included croissant sales which lifted 232%, baked beans which rose by 142% and fish fingers which climbed 95%,” he said. “Away from the Essential Waitrose range, promotions on rum and gin contributed to spirit sales rising by 24%.”
Across the partnership, sales rose 4.3% to £213.98m in the eighth week of the year and 3.1% in the eight weeks.
No comments yet