Department store John Lewis posted a dip in sales for the week ending October 6, as strong comparables from last year, warm weather and the rugby world cup hit sales over the weekend.


Department store John Lewis posted a dip in sales for the week ending October 6, as strong comparables from last year, warm weather and the rugby world cup hit sales over the weekend.

But stablemate supermarket Waitrose delivered a strong performance with sales up by 6.1 per cent over the 7-day period.

Department store John Lewis’s sales fell by 0.4 per cent, excluding its Oxford Street store’s food hall that opened earlier this month. John Lewis retail operations director Patrick Lewis said: “Bumper trade from a year ago gave us a stiff challenge last week. Add warm weather and an inconveniently timed rugby match on Saturday leaving us 8 per cent down on the day and, unsurprisingly, we fell just below last year.”

Waitrose posted a 6.1 per cent sales increase, as its sales were lifted by the same factors that dragged down John Lewis. Managing director Mark Price said the warm autumnal weather at the end of the week lifted sales, which were further helped by the rugby world cup and the first week of its Christmas ranges.

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