// Waitrose up 2.3%

// John Lewis down 3.5%

John Lewis Partnership weekly sales growth has suddenly plateaued, with the eponymous department store dragging the overall results so as to grow by only 0.1 per cent.

For the week ending January 26, the parent company of Waitrose and John Lewis recorded marginal year-on-year weekly sales growth from £198.39 million to £198.58 million.

Sales were also broadly flat for the 52 weeks of the partnership’s financial year, growing 0.1 per cent year-on-year.

Between the partnership’s two retail chains, John Lewis’ weekly sales took a battering with a decline of 3.5 per cent year-on-year, while Waitrose weekly sales grew 2.3 per cent year-on-year.

John Lewis’ sales drop was in part due to declines of 7.2 per cent and 7.6 per cent in the home and electrical and home technology departments respectively.

However, fashion sales were up by five per cent, driven by demand for our own-brand fashion, and the retailer said it annualised strong clearance sales.

Meanwhile, stablemate Waitrose’s weekly growth was boosted by continued demand in fresh food categories, convenience and food-to-go, and free from products.

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