John Lewis gets cold shoulder from Oxford Street shoppers

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

The Oxford Street store that usually does well whatever the economic weather saw sales off 12.6%.

Other stores in highly affluent areas also struggled. The Peter Jones branch at Sloane Square was down 18.6%. Cambridge down 26.7%, Bluewater off 15.7% and Kingston down 17.9% continued the trend.

This was part of a wider slump at John Lewis in the week to 15 November when sales across the country fell 14% on average.

This is the worst weekly sales performance in at least a year and suggests that consumers are ignoring the lure of sales in the expectation that stores will be forced to slash prics again before Christmas.

Barry Matheson, the retailer's head of selling development, said: "There can be no getting away from it that last week was a disappointment.

"We are not immune from the reality of the economic crisis that grasps every headline."

Even John Lewis's internet arm is struggling, with sales down 8.8%.

Debenhams, Marks & Spencer and Sir Philip Green's Arcadia clothes empire have all been slashing prices this week in an attempt to lure shoppers.

The John Lewis decline extended the near 10% fall suffered in the previous week.

Waitrose, the supermarket owned by John Lewis, joined the gloom. Its weekly sales fell 4.6%, a performance that suggests even large food retailers may have a tough Christmas.

Retailers hope recent interest rate cuts will filter through to shoppers in time to rescue Christmas. The Bank of England is expected to cut rates again next month perhaps to 2.5%.

A survey of economists this week by Reuters shows most think the recession will last more than a year.