Gross sales at John Lewis for the six weeks ended 30th December 2017 were up £1034m YoY, up 3.6%, and up +3.1% on a LFL basis.
Black Friday was the most successful sales day in the retailer’s history, and contributed to its biggest-ever week of sales, up +7.2% YoY. Customer Christmas events helped drive a +15% increase in store visits, and an +18% uplift in Christmas sales YoY.
However, Home sales during the period were down -0.3% as consumers proved less receptive to big-ticket purchases.
Sir Charlie Mayfield, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, says: “The pressure on margin seen in the first half of the year has intensified because of our choice to maintain competitive prices, despite higher costs mainly due to the weaker exchange rate.
“Looking ahead to 2018/19 we expect trading to be volatile due to the economic environment and anticipate that competitive intensity will continue, driven by the structural changes taking place in the retail industry. We are well placed to continue building the strength of our two leading brands through these changes and will maintain our current investment plans. Our focus continues to be offering our customers the best range of products and the best value, supported by a market leading service.”
