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Department store chain John Lewis has reported a 4.5% year-on-year uplift in total sales for the week ending 29 December.
The group said this was due to “very strong sales” on Christmas Eve and a “confident start” to clearance sales both online and in shops, with electrical and home technology sales up by 3.1%.
Fashion sales were up 10.7% on last year, with strong sales in women’s cashmere, up 10%, and women’s accessories, up 21.5%. Additionally, the beauty, wellbeing and leisure category performed well, increasing by 25.3%.
John Lewis also reported a total sales increase of 1.8% for the week to 15 December, which followed several weeks of declining profit after the retailer was unable to keep up following a record Black Friday, which saw a 7.7% rise in sales.
In September, the chain reported a 99% profit fall, with chairman Charlie Mayfield describing the market as the “most promotional we’ve seen in almost a decade”.
