The department store chain reported that total sales for the week ending July 6 were up 1.3% year on year, as “customers continued to enjoy shopping summer clearance”.

Fashion sales were up 6.2%, driven predominantly by buoyant performances across its beauty, wellbeing and leisure range, which soared 12.4%.

John Lewis home sales ticked up 0.5%, while sales of gift food jumped 11.4% off the back of sales of confectionary and alcohol.