Recipe for success: TV ‘spin-off’ boosts John Lewis

Sales at department store group John Lewis accelerated last week, boosted by a 48 per cent jump in sales of food mixers as customers aimed to replicate the creations seen on BBC 2 programme The Great British Bake Off, left.

For the week to 22 September, overall sales rose 14.2 per cent to £67 million, with Apple’s iPad, Samsung televisions and autumn clothing ranges also proving popular.

All of the employee-owned retailer’s Scottish stores enjoyed a rise in sales, with growth of 2.5 per cent at both Aberdeen and Edinburgh and a 5 per cent increase in Glasgow.

Howard Archer, economist at IHS Global Insight, described the performance as “healthy” and said it marked an improvement on the previous week, when sales rose 12.9 per cent.

He added: “The pick-up in sales provides a lift to hopes that the consumer is perking up a little and is helping the economy exit recession and eke out modest growth.”

GARETH MACKIE