Last week, John Lewis saw a respite from wet weather which, combined with the February half term, resulted in a solid week's sales, closing up 7.3% on the year.
Sales in branches were slightly up, boosted by half term footfall, while online performance continued to be strong at 29.1% up, driven mostly by Fashion.
Sales in John Lewis' Home category closed up 0.5% last week, driven, in part, by strong lighting sales, which were up 8.4%. Both Living and Dining, and Beds and Bedroom also had double-digit growth on the year.
"The week provided a great end to the first trading period of the year, putting us in a good position for the year to come. New product is arriving daily, providing that pop of colour and intrigue to brighten our customers' days. As the clouds begin to part and we see that glimmer of sunshine, we know that spring is truly on its way and judging by this week, we are perfectly set for it," says Dino Rocos, operations director, John Lewis.
