John Lewis bonuses slip as sales post decline of 1.4%

JOHN Lewis and Waitrose staff in Edinburgh have seen their bonuses cut to seven weeks’ salary after the retail chain posted a four per cent fall in profits.

The partnership, owned by its 81,000 employees, posted profits of £353.8 million in the year to January, a drop on the previous year.

In Scotland there was a decline in sales of 1.4 per cent, although John Lewis Edinburgh – which employs 735 “partners” – said there had been strong sales of iPads, Kindles, beauty products, and “heritage” brands such as Barbour.

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Meanwhile, Waitrose stores saw significant sales rises in tomatoes and exotic fruit.

Morningside branch manager David Lincoln said: “We’ve seen a real mix of top-tier products and store- cupboard essentials performing well this year, which is a reflection on the shift to people cooking and baking from scratch and staying at home to entertain and celebrate special occasions.”