Late Easter blamed for falling sales at John Lewis stores

DEPARTMENT store chain John Lewis blamed a late Easter this year for a 12.6% fall in sales.

The group said the figure for the week to March 21 compared badly with the same seven days last year, when takings were boosted by Easter.

Sales at the partnership’s Waitrose supermarket were 13.7% down.

Department stores sales totalled £44.4m for the week in question.

Almost half of stores saw sales fall by more than 20%. The Oxford Street store in London said sales were “flat”.