Retailer John Lewis, a bellwether for the UK retail sector, on Tuesday reported a 7.3 per cent jump in year on year sales at its department store chain for the week to August 6th, as customers bought new cameras and wireless headphones for use on their holidays.

As the only British retailer to publish weekly sales data, John Lewis provides the most up-to-date snapshot of shopping behaviour that is being monitored closely after Britain voted to leave the European Union on June 23rd.

The data can be clouded by year-on-year weather comparisons and the timing of promotional sales however.

Warm weather

John Lewis said warm weather in the week drove demand for fans bought to cool down homes, helping to push up department store sales to £73.7 million (€86 million), 7.3 per cent higher than the same week last year, and accelerating from a 3.4 per cent rise the previous week.

John Lewis made no mention of the Brexit vote in its brief commentary.

The company is expected to make a move into the Republic shortly, opening an outlet within Arnotts on Henry Street, Dublin 1. – (Reuters)