The FINANCIAL -- Strong sales of clothes and electrical
items helped department store John Lewis take more than half a billion
pounds in an "outstanding" Christmas, according to London Stock Exchange.
The retail bellwether, which operates 35 stores, said sales were up 9.3% to £596 million in the five weeks to December 31.
Online revenues rose 28%, boosted by a near doubling in the number of shoppers using its click and collect service, while like-for-like sales, which exclude new store openings, were up 6%.
However, the figures are not expected to reflect the performance of the broader retail sector, as the chain claimed it gained market share in all categories with the help of its price matching pledge.
Its strongest sellers included iPads and Kindles, cashmere sweaters and bedding and linen.
The period saw it smash its previous weekly sales record, when it took £133.1 million in the seven days to December 17.
However, it has seen a fall in sales in the week after Christmas as it came up against strong comparisons with the year before when people rushed to buy big ticket items ahead of the hike in VAT to 20%.
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