John Lewis department store sales down 5.9% last week
The John Lewis department store’s sales were down 5.9% year-on-year last week following strong Black Friday trading.
Fashion sales edged down 1.8% as clothing sales in the cold weather category were affected by the week’s milder weather. However, some of of the retailer’s own brand womenswear ranges performed particularly well as customers shopped for partywear for the festive season. Sales of its And/Or collection were up 144% while sales in the Kin range rose by 48%.
Home sales dropped by 8.8% although the week was one of the retailer’s biggest ever for sales of Christmas trees. In addition, sales of Christmas decorations were up 9.2%.
Electrical and home technology sales were down 7.7% in the period although sales in the personal care category increased by 38%, driven by demand for the Dyson Airwrap. The electrical accessories category also performed well with sales up 32%.
