DEPARTMENT store operator John Lewis Partnership today reported a 7.5% rise in weekly sales after an “excellent” showing by its fashion division.
The group, which opened its 27th store in Leicester this month, reported total revenues of £51.4m for the seven days to last Saturday.
Sales of fashions were 20.6% higher – reflecting a strong performance for back-to-school ranges, the retailer said.
However, the Partnership’s Waitrose supermarket business struggled to make headway in the week, with sales just 0.6% higher.
Last week, John Lewis’ half-year results indicated that Waitrose had lost market share as shoppers looked for cheaper options in the economic downturn.
Waitrose logged like-for-like sales 2.5% ahead in the first half of the year – but this swung to a 1.1% fall in the six weeks since the end of July.
Overall, Partnership profits slipped by 27% to £108m – with the group braced for a challenging rest of the year.
Today’s weekly figures from the department store business showed another strong performance from the group’s Oxford Street outlet, with sales up 16.9%.
Bluewater, Aberdeen, Reading, Southsea also posted higher sales while the new store at Leicester enjoyed an “outstanding” first week.
