Sales up 9.2% for the week
Sales at the John Lewis Partnership - including Waitrose and the eponymous department store chain - rose 9.2 per cent to£120.02 million in the week to March 3 as the company reported a good response to its fresh spring lines.

Sales at John Lewis department stores increased 9.9 per cent to£47.24 million and online sales rocketed 74.4 per cent for the week.

John Lewis supply chain director Patrick Lewis said: 'Strong response to our spring assortments helped us to another stretching week. Our results day by day were remarkably consistent, with only a small dip on Saturday as our customers took advantage of the beautiful weather.'

Furniture and electricals performed well and womenswear continued to grow, with John Lewis' own-brand ranges doing particularly well.

The sports equipment season has stretched into March - large items were ahead by 16 per cent. Increases in toy sales also reached double figures.

Lewis added: 'Looking ahead, we are set to stay fully stretched in the lead-in to Mother's Day and Easter trade. The figures against us build steadily each week, but we are well set to stay ahead of them.

'In gifts, the food section is the busiest, with sales 40 per cent ahead of last year.'

Sales at supermarket Waitrose also rose 8.9 per cent to£72.55 million for the week. The company said Fairtrade fortnight started strongly, despite some unsettled weather.

Topics