DEPARTMENT STORE NEWS
Sales down 7.2% at John Lewis & Partners last week
4 September, 2019 | by Angela Beevers
John Lewis & Partners saw its total sales decline by 7.2% year-on-year last week after warm weather over the bank holiday weekend affected trading.
Fashion sales fell by 5.8%, although sales in the school wear category improved towards the end of the week as parents bought items for the start of the new term.
Home sales dropped by 14% despite the heatwave driving a 40% uplift in sales of BBQs. Outdoor furniture was also popular with customers, with sales rising by 20%.
Meanwhile, electrical and home technology sales were down 2.8% in the week. However, sales in the large electricals category were up 8.6%, driven by a 29% increase in sales in the cooking category.
