Sales at John Lewis department stores rose 11.7 last week, which the retailer said it suspects was “well ahead of the market”.

John Lewis’s turnover reached £56.5m in the period to September 18 and managing director Andy Street said he will not take his foot off the pedal. He maintained: “This outperformance is just what we are intent on delivering right through to Christmas and clearance.”

Fashion sales rose 16.7%, electricals and home technology 6.9% and home 11.5%. Sales at johnlewis.com leaped 38%. Online fashion sales doubled year on year and were four times greater than in the equivalent period of 2008.

White goods, imaging and IT also did well online. Street said they were “the most immediate beneficiaries of the bold move to be ‘Never Knowingly Undersold’ online”.

Turnover at the Oxford Street store rose most – 14.9% - while Trafford and Solihull were also up strongly. Edinburgh, however, suffered an 8.1% decline.

Sales at Waitrose advanced 8% in the period to £89.1m. Stores in university areas reported strong demand as the new academic year gets under way.

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