Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
Total sales for John Lewis last week (to Saturday March 31) were up 24.1% on the same period last year.
The department store group’s head of shop trade for Scotland & North Barry Matheson said the performance was due to the combination of the earlier fall of Easter, colder weather driving footfall into shops, and significant promotional activity.
He noted that Home sales were up 23.1%. Gifts, Cook and Dine produced the strongest sales with a 41.5% increase on the same week last year – and it was a record week for Gift Food sales in the first half of a year. The retailer also experienced very strong sales of bath and bedding products, lighting, and living & dining furniture.
Electrical and Home Technology sales were up 32.4%, making it a record week for total sales of this category in the first half of a financial year.
Fashion sales were up 17.7%. Beauty, Wellbeing and Leisure sales saw the biggest increase with sales up 26.3% compared with the same week last year. Barry said: “All clothing categories experienced a strong increase in sales, due to the cold weather driving sales of warm clothing and price-matching competitor promotions.”
