John Lewis said that a sunny Bank Holiday helped it to deliver strong sales growth in the last week of August.
Shoppers beat a path to its antipasti, where sales soared by 47 per cent compared with last year, and its baguettes made in the branch, sales of which rose 18 per cent, over the long weekend.
Overall, sales at Waitrose, which John Lewis owns, rose 16 per cent to £85 million. The retail chain claimed that customers who could not get away brought the seaside to them, with sales of its Monkfish fillets jumping by 131 per cent, boosted by a promotion.
Total sales across the partnership rose by 10 per cent to £136 million, with the John Lewis chain up 2 per cent to £52 million.
Shoppers bought items for children who were going back to school, and there was strong demand for electrical goods, John Lewis said. Small electrical items rose by 11 per cent and larger ticket purchases were up 8 per cent.
Advertisement
David Barford, a sales director at John Lewis, said that with the start of Autmun customers’ appetite for new purchaes was growing. “As new season deliveries are now arriving thick and fast the focus in all branches now needs to be on ensuring that as new product arrives it is displayed with real authority across the branch,” he said.