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| John Lewis Christmas Eve sales end year with a boost | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Retail chain John Lewis Partnership saw an 11% rise in sales in the last week of 2018 compared with a year earlier. | Retail chain John Lewis Partnership saw an 11% rise in sales in the last week of 2018 compared with a year earlier. |
| The partnership includes both John Lewis department stores and Waitrose supermarkets. | The partnership includes both John Lewis department stores and Waitrose supermarkets. |
| John Lewis reported very strong sales on Christmas Eve itself - which was included in the last week of trading - as customers bought last-minute gifts. | John Lewis reported very strong sales on Christmas Eve itself - which was included in the last week of trading - as customers bought last-minute gifts. |
| Waitrose sales provided most of the year-end boost, rising 19.2% on the same week a year ago. | |
| Gift food sales at John Lewis doubled, while beauty and well-being products saw a 25% increase. | Gift food sales at John Lewis doubled, while beauty and well-being products saw a 25% increase. |
| However, in the previous week, ending on 22 December, sales across the partnership fell 4.8%. Its financial year so far has seen sales remain flat in both Waitrose and John Lewis. | However, in the previous week, ending on 22 December, sales across the partnership fell 4.8%. Its financial year so far has seen sales remain flat in both Waitrose and John Lewis. |
| A Waitrose spokesperson said: "As always at this time of year, our sales figures are heavily distorted by the fall of Christmas and New Year. Both these weekly performances were in line with expectations." | A Waitrose spokesperson said: "As always at this time of year, our sales figures are heavily distorted by the fall of Christmas and New Year. Both these weekly performances were in line with expectations." |
| The final week also saw the start of some clearance sales. John Lewis said that electrical and home technology sales rose 3.1%, with Apple products performing particularly well and communication technology products also up. | |
| Unsurprisingly, in the middle of the holiday week, sales of Waitrose's fresh and frozen food did well, rising 22% on the same period last year. |