John Lewis sales growth slows

By PETER RANSCOMBE
Published on 22/06/2012 10:11

Department store chain John Lewis today posted a further double-digit rise in weekly sales, but the level of growth dipped from the highs of previous weeks.

Turnover at the firm rose by 11.5 per cent year-on-year in the week to 16 June, slightly below the 12.9 per cent recorded over the past 20 weeks as a whole.

Sales of electronic goods, up 34 per cent, received a boost from demand for Apple’s iPad 3 tablet computer and the final throws of the digital television switch-over.

Selling operations director David Barford said: “Despite our ever-challenging weather we delivered another great week’s trade.

“Fashion was influenced by a mixed bag of weather and reductions in the latter part of the week that turned customers’ attention back towards summer fashion.”

Howard Archer, chief UK and European economist at IHS Global Insight, said: “John Lewis sales grew by a very creditable 11.5 per cent. This was down from a gain of 18.1 per cent year-on-year the previous week when the growth rate had been distorted by a number of factors, notably including the different timing of half term and the two days public holiday that week centred on the Queen’s diamond jubilee celebrations.”