John Lewis sales down 6% last week
John Lewis saw its sales decline by 6% year-on-year last week as the retailer struggled against strong comparatives with the same week last year when there was an earlier Easter.
Fashion sales were up 3% as the launch of the retailer’s own label denim lifestyle brand, AND/OR, combined with the warmer weather helped drive womenswear sales to increase by 5.3%. Women’s casual clothing achieved the biggest uplift in the week.
Home sales were down 3.7% as trading was influenced by the later fall of Easter this year. Despite this, home accessories and gifts sales climbed by 12.4% driven by sales of outdoor living products, which saw growth of 52%.
Electricals and home technology sales fell by 15.6% year-on-year due to strong promotional activity in the comparable week last year. Mobile phones and photography equipment had a strong week with sales up 7.6%. Apple products performed particularly well on the back of the launch of the new iPad and the red iPhone.
During the week John Lewis opened its largest international shop-in-shop to date in Dubai. The 15,000 square foot John Lewis space is situated inside the refurbished Robinsons department store in the Al Futtaim Dubai Festival City Mall.
