LONDON (MktNews) - The UK John Lewis Partnership said Friday its department store sales in the week to March 31 were up 2.5% on the same week a year ago.
Meanwhile, total sales, which includes those of supermarkets, rose 6.0% in the week to March 31 compared with the same week a year ago.
Gareth Thomas, director of selling and customer services, explained there were several factors that depressed sales. Firstly, two shifts in the calendar. "Mother's Day fell a week earlier this year, meaning that we gained the benefit in week eight, while the first of the new month fell into week 10, and so should add some momentum to the current week."
The tube strike on Thursday also deterred many shoppers.
On the other hand, the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease lured some customers into the shops who might otherwise have seen the countryside as an alternative to shopping, Thomas said.