FOOTBALL fans deserted John Lewis department stores in droves to watch England’s first match of the World Cup, contributing to the worst Saturday trading of the year at the chain.
The retailer said yesterday that the timing of the England v Paraguay match, combined with the summer heat, had depressed sales at its stores.
John Lewis said that revenues at its department stores in the week to June 10 were up 4.6 per cent on the previous year. It compares with the double-digit gains recorded by the group in recent weeks, on the back of demand for flat-screen televisions.
Gareth Thomas, director of retail operations at John Lewis, said: “Our lowest Saturday of the year resulted from the sweltering conditions and England’s first World Cup game. As one branch put it, ‘a hush descended on the shop soon after 1pm’.”
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Reports of poor trading on the day of the match were corroborated by Woolworths, the high street chain. Trevor Bish-Jones, its chief executive, said: “It was very, very quiet on Saturday. If I’m honest, I was at home with a can of lager.”
Analysts speculated that the World Cup effect had been felt across the high street, with one estimating that Debenhams’ sales had fallen 8 per cent last week. A spokesman for another department store group yesterday noted that “matches on Saturdays were never helpful”.
In contrast, Waitrose, the supermarkets arm of John Lewis, reported that sales had increased 17.7 per cent in the week, lifted by demand for beer, barbecue foods and ice- cream, as fans celebrated the England win. Total sales at John Lewis in the week to June 10 were up 12.7 per cent.
According to Footfall, the market tracking agency, the number of people on the high street was down 22.6 per cent last Saturday on the previous year, compared with a fall of just 2.8 per cent on the preceding three days.
“People traded the shops for the sunshine. Others stayed glued to TV sets. The effect was felt up and down the country and across sectors,” Footfall said.
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The tracking agency recorded a 9.7 per cent decrease in footfall last Thursday, when England played Trinidad and Tobago.
Natasha Burton, spokeswoman for Footfall, said yesterday: “We would expect to see a similar fall in footfall levels for Tuesday, when England play their final group game against Sweden, with their second-round clash likely to have a greater effect on the number of people visiting retail centres, as it will be a weekend fixture.”