John Lewis charters ships to navigate supply disruption ahead of Christmas
John Lewis is chartering a fleet of extra ships to make sure it has Christmas stock on time.
Retailers have been grappling with a host of supply chain problems from driver shortages to shipping delays. John Lewis has become the latest large retailer to go public on its ship chartering plans amid this year’s extreme container crunch.
John Lewis chair Sharon White said the business was throwing everything at the issues to make sure Christmas would not be disrupted. The partnership has lined up extra ships through a freight company it works with to boost import options, she said.
The retailer recorded a pre-tax loss of £29m for the six months to 31 July. That compares with a £635m loss for the same period last year. Sales for the group rose by 6%, aided by strong demand for homeware, fashion, nursery furnishing and Waitrose online grocery sales.
