Home sales down 19.3% at John Lewis

Total sales at John Lewis & Partners were down 7.7% last week (to Saturday October 26) on the same week last year.

According to the department store group’s director of digital Sienne Veit: “We were annualising against promotional activity and a Partnership card spend incentive.

“Home sales were down 19.3%. However, Christmas sales were up 7% as customers enjoyed shopping for Quality Street [personalised sweet tins] with sales up 388%. As winter is creeping in, customers are shopping for cold weather products with sales of new season rugs and weighted blankets up.

“Electrical and Home Technology sales were down 7.1%. Small electrical sales were up 5.6% as customers enjoyed shopping for personal care with sales up 45%. Own-brand large electrical product sales were up 42%, with sales of laundry products up 110% due to promotions.

“Fashion sales were up 0.3%. Beauty, wellbeing and leisure sales were also up 28.4% as we price-matched a competitor’s promotion and sales of premium beauty products were up 37.8%.”

“As winter is creeping in, customers are shopping for cold weather products with sales of new season rugs and weighted blankets up”