John Lewis sales down 3.4% last week

Despite a boost from Valentine’s Day spending, total sales at the John Lewis department store chain fell by 3.4% in the week to 16 February compared to the corresponding week last year.

Fashion sales rose by 1.2% as trading was boosted by a 10.9% uplift in sales of women’s accessories, which was mainly driven by demand for premium brands.

Home sales dropped by 7.6% in the period although the Valentine’s Day product category had a record week with sales up 27% on last year. Upholstery sales were also strong with an uplift of 39%.

Meanwhile, electrical and home technology sales were down 3.1% overall. However, the communications technology category put in a good performance with sales up 2.4%, driven by sales of tablets and computers.

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