// John Lewis Partnership’s overall weekly sales drops 8.9%
// Waitrose weekly sales down 8.9%
// John Lewis weekly sales decreases 8.8%
John Lewis Partnership’s weekly update has revealed a slump in sales from its two retail brands, which left an 8.9 per cent dent in the company’s overall sales.
For the week ending March 9, weekly sales at the retail group decreased year-on-year from £228.81 million down to £208.45 million.
This compares to last week when it made a comeback after a rocky start to the current financial year, with weekly sales growth of 4.5 per cent.
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Meanwhile, for John Lewis Partnership’s financial year-to-date, sales were down 1.6 per cent compared to the first same six weeks last year.
The partnership’s two fascias were almost on par with each other in terms of weekly sales declines, with John Lewis booking an 8.8 per cent drop and Waitrose 8.9 per cent.
John Lewis, which last week enjoyed an 11.4 per cent surge in weekly sales, attributed its latest results on the later fall of Mother’s Day and Easter this year.
Overall fashion sales were down 10.1 per cent, but it said warm weather clothing was up nine per cent and menswear sales grew 3.3 per cent.
Sales in the home department were down 10.7 per cent, although outdoor living items enjoyed an eight per cent uptick due to the unseasonably warmer weather.
Finally, the electrical and home technology department saw sales drag 6.3 per cent.
Stablemate Waitrose said its weekly sales were distorted by challenging comparisons against the same week last year, when sales were higher due to the UK recovering from the Beast from the East snow storm and the run up to Mother’s Day which fell on March 11.
However, it said its vegetarian and vegan ranges performed well with sales surging 57 per cent, while alcohol, appetisers, deli and olive and antipasti sales also enjoyed a strong week.
