John Lewis boosted by sunny week as sandals and other summer fashion surges

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Apr 24, 2018

While the mini heatwave drove sales upwards at many UK stores last week, it still couldn’t tip the John Lewis department store chain into positive figures in the seven days to April 21.

The Partnership’s overall sales rose 3.9% to just over £203 million, but the eponymous department store chain and webstore saw its sales falling 1.7%. 

So did John Lewis’s fashion offer hit an unaccustomed road block? Not at all. In fact, Fashion directory sales were up 3.7%, driven by a strong week in womenswear and women’s accessories, which were up 10.5% and 11.6% respectively. Warm weather clothing also had a good week with sales soaring by 30% as the UK enjoyed the warmer temperatures. 

The company said sandals also saw an uplift of 36% and elsewhere, children's clothing performed well, up 22%.

But as we’ve become used to now, Home directory sales were down 1.8%. However (unsurprisingly given the warm weather) it was a record week for Outdoor Living with sales up an astonishing 94% on last year. Particular standouts were garden furniture and barbecues. Beds also had a good week of trade and warm weather duvets saw an uplift of 7% as customers made the switch to their summer bedding.

The biggest drag on the chain’s overall sales figure was the Electrical and Home Technology directory, where sales were down 6.2%, due to annualising strong promotions in the same week last year. Sales within small electricals were particularly strong though, driven by a 278% uplift in sales of fans and cooling products. Large Electricals were also up on last year and premium TVs had a good week too.