John Lewis provides upbeat Christmas trading snapshot

In the week to December 29, sales at the department store chain were up 4.5%, driven by a 103% increase in gift food purchases.

The John Lewis gifts, cooking and dining segment also had a stellar week, with sales up 25%.

The retailer said it was boosted by shoppers buying last-minute Christmas presents, adding that it experienced “very strong sales on Christmas Eve and a confident start to clearance sales both online and in shops”.

Fashion sales grew 10.7%, with a strong performance in women’s cashmere, but home sales were down 2.3%. Figures for the week to December 22 show that John Lewis sales were up 4.2%.

The figures come ahead of what is expected to be another tough year for department store chains following a disastrous 2018 that saw the collapse of House of Fraser.

The John Lewis Partnership itself revealed in September a 98.8% crash in half year profits as it battles against “challenging times” and the most promotional market for nearly a decade.

Retailers have been battling the rise of online shopping, higher costs and plummeting consumer confidence as shoppers rein in spending amid Brexit uncertainty.