Department store group John Lewis posted a 6.7 per cent sales rise over Easter after demand for gift foods surged.
Trade was busiest on Good Friday as customers took advantage of time off work to fill their shopping baskets ahead of the four-day break, the group said.
John Lewis, rumoured to be interested in a move to Brighton, said parents used the school holidays to buy their children new clothes, footwear and stationery.
With the Easter holidays falling earlier than last year, the group said comparable sales at its 26-strong chain of department stores were 12 per cent higher.
Supermarket chain Waitrose also improved its Easter sales performance by four per cent, with chocolate eggs sales more than 40 per cent ahead of last year.
This improvement was achieved despite more people choosing to travel abroad compared with last year when the Iraq war was at its height.
John Lewis said sales at its department stores totalled £42.2 million in the week to April 10.
Monday April 19, 2004
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