England’s exit from the World Cup is helping sales at department store chain John Lewis, which rose 11.4% last week to £67m.
After a slow start, shoppers came out in force during the period to July 3. Fashion sales rose 18.1% and home sales advanced 12%. However England’s World Cup demise brought a TV sales boom to an end and electricals and home technology edged up 0.7%.
Bluewater was the best performing shop – sales there climbed 23.5%. Online sales rose 30.6% and the Click & Collect service proved popular.
John Lewis head of multichannel content Helen Keppel-Compton said the weekly sales rise was “ahead of many of our expectations” following the lacklustre start to the week.
She said: “Clearance remains key for this week. The slightly cooler weather and – sad though it is – the lack of English interest in sporting events should be in our favour.
“Customers will still have the benefit of good choice of discounted and special-buy ranges, with some lovely newness to tempt them. We are well placed to make the most of this opportunity.”
Sales at stablemate grocer Waitrose were up 8.1% to £97.3m over the week, when the “Delia effect” boosted demand for products such as pork fillet – up 1,300%.
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