Marketing boosts John Lewis sales and profit
John Lewis Partnership says “innovative marketing” and multi-channel helped boost sales by 10.6% in the past year.
The group, which owns the John Lewis department store chain and Waitrose supermarkets, says sales increased to £8.21bn for the year ending 29 January.
Group operating profit also increased 10.6% to £431.0m and staff shared a bonus pot of £194.5m with each receiving 18% of their annual salary.
The retail group says its investment in marketing, integrating multi-channel platforms and trialling new store formats such as Waitrose convenience and John Lewis At Home have driven growth.
Group sales for the year to date are up 6.5% with Waitrose sales 8.9% up and John Lewis increasing 2.3% year on year.
Group chairman Charlie Mayfield says he remains confident about the Partnership’s future growth despite expecting wider economic challenges to hit consumer confidence this year.
Waitrose highlights
Waitrose reported a 9.8% sales increase to £4.97bn with like for like sales up 4% for the year. Profit increased 3% to £274.9m.
The upmarket grocery chain says it has attracted 300,000 new weekly customers by investing in value, innovative top-tier ranges and new store formats.
Waitrose announced a £10m investment in its online platform including its rebrand from Waitrose Deliver to Waitrose.com last month.
It claims that the brand campaign starring Delia Smith and Heston Blumenthal, which launched in March, has generated a £50m sales boost for the business.
John Lewis highlights
John Lewis reported sales of £3.23bn, up 11.9% and a 10% rise in like for like sales. Operating profit increased 22.2% to £201.2m.
The department store reported a 37.9% leap in online sales at Johnlewis.com driven by the expansion of its online range and Click & Collect service.
John Lewis plans to extend its online business internationally to Europe, the Nordic countries and Ireland and open three more At Home stores this year.
