// Partnership’s overall weekly increases 2.5%
// Waitrose books 3.7% weekly sales growth
// John Lewis weekly sales up 0.7%
John Lewis Partnership has continued its positive run for the new year with a 2.5 per cent increase in overall weekly sales.
For the week ending January 12, the parent company of Waitrose and John Lewis raked in weekly sales of £212.53 million, compared to the £207.43 million recorded during the same period last year.
However, it was marginally better than the £211.6 million recorded the year before that, .
For the 50 weeks of the partnership’s fiscal year so far, total sales remained almost flat with 0.4 per cent year-on-year growth.
The upmarket grocer said fresh categories in particular saw strong demand for the week, as many customers pursued new year health resolutions that meant stocking up on fresh and healthy food.
It added that its vegan and vegetarian ranges had their biggest week of sales outside of Christmas.
Waitrose also said it had met its target to remove black plastic packaging from all own-label fresh meat, poultry, fruit and vegetable products.
The progress meant the retailer was “more than half way” to achieving the total removal of hard-to-recycle black plastic from all own-label packaging by the end of this year.
Meanwhile, weekly sales growth at John Lewis has slowed down dramatically to 0.7 per cent after the department store recorded strong performances in the weeks before and after Christmas.
It attributed the results to customers continuing to shop clearance offers and beginning to shop spring/summer ranges.
Fashion sales were up 4.9 per cent, boosted by a 19.2 per cent uptick in womenswear accessories.
Overall home sales were down 0.5 per cent, but items on clearance in the gifts, cook and dine department allowed it to record an 8.2 per cent in sales. Furniture and flooring sales were also up 2.5 per cent on last year.
Meanwhile, electrical and home technology sales were down 1.2 per cent despite a 7.1 per cent increase in communication technology sales due to strong demand for Apple products.
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