John Lewis sales down 4.3% last week
John Lewis faced tougher trading conditions last week after Mother’s Day fell a week earlier this year. This meant the department store chain finished the week with sales 4.3% down on the same week last year.
Electricals and home technology sales edged down 0.2%, although the launch of new products supported sales in categories such as audio which finished the week 4.4% up year-on-year.
Sales across fashion declined by 9.6% but cold weather lines outperformed warm weather products as the winter weather persisted.
Meanwhile, sales in the home directorate fell by 2.4% overall despite a 4.8% uplift in furniture sales.
Johnathan Marsh, buying director for EHT at John Lewis, said: “After a strong performance last week we faced into tougher trading conditions with Mother’s Day falling a week earlier this year.”
Looking ahead to this week, he added: “Customers will continue to prepare for Easter during the week ahead as we move forward into Spring.”
