Waitrose Easter sales increase boosts John Lewis

Apr 18 2009 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

SUPERMARKET chain Waitrose lifted sales over Easter as more people stayed at home for the bank holiday weekend.

Takings rose by 23.6% at £94.7m in the week to last Saturday, with shops in holiday towns reporting the strongest figures.

Year-on-year comparisons were distorted by the timing of Easter, but Waitrose said it still saw a strong performance.

The supermarket, part of the John Lewis Partnership, sold 7.6m hot cross buns over Easter.

John Lewis said sales at its department stores fell by 1.5%. The retailer still logged its best week since the financial year began 10 weeks ago.

Director Dan Knowles said: “We have had a good Easter trading period, having performed well against the competition and selling Easter stocks well.”