// John Lewis Partnership’s overall weekly sales up 2%
// Waitrose up 2.8%
// John Lewis up 0.7%
John Lewis Partnership’s positive start to the new year has continued, although the overall weekly sales growth was a slight slowdown on the previous week.
For the week ending January 19, the parent company of the eponymous department store and Waitrose recorded a weekly sales uptick of two per cent year-on-year, from £201.35 to £205.33 million.
However, this is a slight dip against the 2.5 per cent year-on-year growth that the partnership recorded in the week prior.
Meanwhile, for the 51 weeks of the financial year so far, total partnership sales remained broadly with 0.1 per cent year-on-year growth.
Waitrose said increased demand for healthy food continued, boosted by strong vegan and vegetarian food sales as many customers switch to meat-free alternatives.
It added that customers were stocking up on health and beauty products as winter gets into full swing.
Meanwhile, stablemate John Lewis’ flat weekly sales was saved by its fashion department, which enjoyed a bumper week.
John Lewis said fashion sales were up 7.2 per cent, boosted by a 10 per cent surge in cold weather products while premium womens accessories skyrocketed 97 per cent.
Home sales were down 3.1 per cent, despite a 4.6 per cent and 5.7 per cent uptick in bath and tabletop sales respectively.
The gifts, cook and dine department had another good week with sales up 4.9 per cent, but electrical and home technology sales were down one per cent although ongoing demand for Apple products meant tablet and computing sales were up 5.2 per cent.
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