John Lewis losses widen to £124m as shopper confidence dips

Retailer says higher costs also hit first-half figures as group pursues its turnaround plan, though Waitrose grew sales

Losses at the owner of John Lewis and Waitrose widened by more than 40% in the first half of the year as it struggled with higher costs and with shoppers feeling less confident about their money.

The John Lewis Partnership, which operates 36 department stores and more than 300 Waitrose supermarkets, said its pre-tax loss for the six months to 1 August climbed to 124m, compared with 88m in the same period in 2025.