Department store group John Lewis had more good news to report with sales for the week to June 19 up 13 per cent on last year.

Sales of electricals were 7.9 per cent ahead of 2009 figures. However, as Nat Wakely, director of selling operations for John Lewis region A, pointed out, vision products returned to a more ‘normal’ 11 per cent increase on last year “after the heady rush by customers to buy in advance of the World Cup”.

IT products saw a 17 per cent year-on-year surge in sales and the store group reported there was keen interest in entry-price laptops. There was “active growth”, too, in white goods with sales rising 11 per cent.

Online sales at John Lewis Direct were 30.8 per cent ahead of last year and the best performing store was Bluewater, which notched up a 29 per cent increase in sales.

“Of course turnover targets for last week pale into insignificance when we look at the levels we need to achieve over the next two weeks,” said Mr Wakely.

“Our Clearance package is significantly bigger than last year, so it's all to play for on the first day this Saturday and beyond.”