John Lewis fashion outperforms again as home struggles

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Oct 2, 2018

John Lewis Partnership continues to see battle a tough trading environment in the UK with its turnover in the seven days to last Saturday down 0.6% at £215.06 million, it said on Tuesday. 

But while sales fell more sharply at its Waitrose supermarkets operation, at least its John Lewis department stores chain and webstore turned in a better performance. Sales there rose a respectable 1.8% in a week when its Fashion directory led the way.

Fashion sales rose a healthy 5.6% year-on-year with sales of its own-brand womenswear continuing to be strong as sales rose an even better 9.6%.

The company has invested heavily in its own labels in recent periods and  their performance certainly justifies this spend. In the latest week, the company said it saw a particularly good performance in its new John Lewis & Partners Womenswear line.

But there was bad news in the weekly report too as it said that Home sales fell yet again. This has been the most challenged part of the business of late. While sales of own-brand House continued to be good (up 8.%) and its Find, Keep, Give gifting collection also performed well, the overall directory’s sales were down 5.4%.