Press releases
John Lewis department stores Christmas trading statement - five weeks to 2 January 2010
Tuesday 5 January 2010
John Lewis department stores today publishes a trading update for the five weeks to 2 January 2010. Total sales were 15.8 per cent up compared with last year and like-for-like sales were +12.7 per cent. Compared with two years ago total sales were 16.4 per cent up and like-for-like sales were +10.4 per cent.
Over the same period, Fashion sales, including beauty, were 22.0 per cent up. Home was 19.6 per cent up whilst Electricals and Home Technology increased by 11.4 per cent.
Andy Street, Managing Director of John Lewis, said: 'We have seen excellent sales during Christmas and Clearance. Customers have responded extremely well to our offer and are clearly motivated by inspiring products, great value and exceptional service. The five-week period has seen a number of records broken. Sales surpassed the £100m milestone on four separate weeks (the most recent being week ending 2 January 2010), and we beat our previous biggest ever week from 2007 in early December. As the year progresses we expect to see a long slow recovery, with the retailers who continue to focus on giving customers what they want prospering.'
For the 13 weeks to 2 January 2010 total sales at John Lewis were +15.0 per cent, with like-for-like sales up 12.2 per cent. Compared with two years ago total sales were 9.2 per cent up and like-for-like sales were +3.4 per cent.
The strength of the John Lewis trading figures this Christmas is echoed by the performance of sister company Waitrose, the food division of the John Lewis Partnership. As the fastest growing supermarket in the UK Waitrose saw sales increase by 20.8 per cent for the trading week ending 26 December, compared with the same week last year. The previous trading week (ending 19 December) sales were up by 16.5 per cent. For the 13-week period ending 26 December total sales were up by 16.1 per cent.
Notes to editors
The John Lewis Partnership - The John Lewis Partnership operates 29 John Lewis shops across the UK (28 department stores and one John Lewis at home), johnlewis.com, 222 Waitrose supermarkets and Greenbee.com, a direct services company. The business has an annual turnover of over £6.9bn. It is the UK's largest example of worker co-ownership where all 69,000 staff are Partners in the business.
John Lewis - John Lewis, 'Britain's favourite retailer 2008'* and 'Multiple Department Store of the Year 2009' *** typically stocks more than 350,000 separate lines in its department stores. The website stocks over 100,000 lines focused on the best of fashion, beauty, home and giftware and electrical items including online exclusives. johnlewis.com is consistently ranked one of the top online shopping destinations in the UK. (www.johnlewis.com)
* Verdict consumer satisfaction index, January 2009
*** The Drapers Awards for fashion retail, October 2009
Waitrose - Waitrose, voted 'Britain's favourite supermarket' in three independent surveys so far this year† combines the convenience of a supermarket with the expertise and service of a specialist shop. It offers fresh and frozen foods, wines and groceries as well as delicatessen, cheese, fresh fish, meat, patisserie and hot-food counters. Waitrose is dedicated to offering quality food that has been responsibly sourced combined with high standards of customer service. (www.waitrose.com)
† Which? Survey, January 2009; BBC Watchdog viewer survey, February 2009; Good Housekeeping Awards, February 2009
Greenbee.com - Greenbee.com offers a range of financial, travel and leisure services selected by the John Lewis Partnership. These include home, travel, pet, wedding and event and car insurance products, life cover and a phone and broadband package, along with travel offers and the latest theatre, event, music and sport tickets. (www.greenbee.com)
Enquiries
For further information, please contact:
Louise Cooper
Senior Manager, Corporate & Branch PR
John Lewis
Direct Line: 020 7592 6223
Mobile: 07808 574117
back to top
Go to the Press releases