Black Friday hangover for John Lewis

The employee-owned firm said yesterday year-on-year sales for the week fell 2.4 per cent, with sales in its electricals and home technology division down 10.8 per cent.

That performance was a sign of “the growing significance of Black Friday on the shape of pre-Christmas trade”, it said.

“Black Friday”, a heavily promotional shopping frenzy day imported from the United States, helped John Lewis to post its biggest ever week for sales in its 150-year history earlier this month, and pushed British retail sales growth to a 27-year high.

Total sales for the week to December 20 still grew by 6.5 percent on the week before to £160.6m, however, as customers left it late to complete their Christmas shopping.