Fathers' Day helps lift John Lewis sales

The retailer reported that Fathers’ Day and its ‘never knowingly undersold’ pledge were both key in the period to June 19, as John Lewis matched competitors’ Sale prices.

Fashion sales were up 15%, “heavily influenced” by menswear and sports which advanced 22%.

Home delivered a “good” performance, “characterised by strong big-ticket sales and Fathers’ Day-related gifting” and furniture and floorcoverings had an “excellent week”.

After the rush to buy TVs ahead of the World Cup, vision sales were “more normal” and rose 11%.

All but three John Lewis stores achieved a sales increase over the week and John Lewis Direct sales rose 30.8%.

John Lewis Region A selling operations director Nat Wakely said: “Turnover targets for last week pale into insignificance when we look at the levels we need to achieve over the next two weeks.

“Our clearance package is significantly bigger than last year, so it’s all to play for on the first day this Saturday and beyond.”

Sales at John Lewis’s grocery stablemate Waitrose climbed 10.7% over the week to £97.3m.

Waitrose finance director Tom Athron put the “fantastic” performance down to people eating at home during the World Cup and the continuing “Delia effect”.

Famous cook Delia Smith’s half-time tapas recipe, which featured in TV ads, helped push sales of key ingredients such as Paleta Iberico ham and Villacenteno Manchego cheese up by 1,750% and 2,461% respectively.