JOHN Lewis enjoyed a better start to the World Cup than Fabio Capello’s England team last week amid rocketing sales of televisions and party snacks, the business said today.

The department store said electrical and home technology performed most strongly with television sales up 42% on a year ago in the week to June 12.

The partnership, which also owns Waitrose, added that the supermarket’s best-selling football snacks included garlic bread and sausage rolls - up 22% and 13% respectively - as shoppers elected to stay at home to watch the national team’s 1-1 draw with the USA.

Total sales across John Lewis department stores were up 15.3% on last year, slightly down on the 20% recorded in the previous week.

Waitrose sales were up 9.3% as shoppers also bought barbecues, outdoor dining gear and suncream thanks to the sunny weather as well as the football.

Sales of patriotic cakes decorated with footballs or England flags rose 35%, the partnership added.

The figures come after official retail sales data for May also signalled the World Cup effect across the high street, with a much stronger than expected 0.6% rise in sales volumes over the month.

John Lewis added that the World Cup effect had spread to clothing with childrenswear enjoying a strong week, while shoppers were also buying gifts ahead of Father’s Day this Sunday.

The chain’s Trafford store and Knight & Lee in Southsea were the partnership’s best performers - with sales up 22% and 20% respectively - although the group’s south-east heavyweights such as Oxford Street, Peter Jones and Bluewater each piled on sales rises of nearly 20%.