Retail is in the midst of one of the most challenging periods in its history as the coronavirus pandemic wreaks havoc across the industry.

Since a national lockdown was ordered by Boris Johnson in March, businesses have had to withstand the temporary closure of non-essential stores, the implementation of new safety measures and the accelerated shift of consumer spend to ecommerce as shoppers stayed away from high streets and shopping centres.

But which retailers have coped best with that upheaval and continued to grow their top lines?

RetailerSectorRetail sales change (yoy)Period
Farfetch Fashion 74.3% Three months to June 30
AO.com Electricals 62.9% 16 weeks to July 31
Ocado Retail Grocery 52% 13 weeks to August 30
Boohoo Fashion 45% Six months to August 31
Studio Retail General merchandise 39% 26 weeks to September 25
Amazon General merchandise 38% 12 weeks to June 30
Very Group Fashion 28% 12 weeks to June 30
B&M Value 25% Six months to September 26
Dixons Carphone Electricals 12% 17 weeks to August 29
Tesco Grocery 9.2% 13 weeks to May 30
Sainsbury’s Grocery 8.5% 16 weeks to June 27
Waitrose Grocery 8.3% Six months to July 25
Co-op Grocery 7.6% Six months to July 4
Halfords General merchandise 7.5% 20 weeks to August 21
Asda Grocery 3.8%* 13 Weeks to June 30
B&Q Home & DIY 3.7% Six months to July 31
Screwfix Home & DIY 3.7% Six months to July 31
Asos Fashion -1% 16 weeks to June 30
McColl’s Convenience -1% 26 weeks to May 24
Pets at Home General merchandise -1% 16 weeks to July 16
Morrisons Grocery -1.1% Six months to August 2
Eve Sleep Home & DIY -5% 24 weeks to June 30
Joules Fashion -5% 13 weeks to August 30
JD Sports Sports and leisure -6.5% 26 weeks to August 1
John Lewis Department stores -8.3% Six months to July 25
Primark Fashion -12%* Year to September 12
Hotel Chocolat Grocery -14% Six months to June 28
H&M Fashion -16% Three months to August 31
N Brown Fashion -17.6% Six months to August 29
Marks & Spencer Fashion -19.2% 19 weeks to August 8
ScS Home & DIY -19.5% 52 weeks to July 25
N Brown Fashion -22% 12 weeks to May 23
Superdry Fashion -27% 20 weeks to September 12
DFS Home & DIY -27.2% 52 weeks to June 28
Dunelm Home & DIY -29% 16 weeks to June 27
Next Fashion -34% Half-year to July 25
Inditex Fashion -37.5% Half-year to July 31
TK Maxx Fashion -42.3% 26 weeks to August 1
Greggs Grocery -45% 26 weeks to June 27
Boots Health and beauty -48%* 12 weeks to May 31
Burberry Fashion -48% 13 weeks to June 27
Card Factory General merchandise -49% Six months to July 31
Ted Baker Fashion -55% 11 weeks to July 18
Matalan Fashion -72.5% 13 weeks to May 30

Not all reporting periods are directly comparable. *Denotes like-for-like sales, rather than total sales

Although retailers cannot be judged on directly comparable reporting periods, the ranking provides the most up-to-date indication as to the retailers and categories that are emerging as the winners and losers during the pandemic. 

Online fashion retailer Farfetch tops the chart, having posted a 74.3% spike in sales during the three months to June 30. 

It is joined in the top 10 by fellow clothing pureplays Boohoo and the Very Group. 

A number of grocery retailers also appear in the upper echelons of the list with six food retailers making the top 15.

Online grocer Ocado is the highest-ranked grocer in the list having also benefited from the rapid shift to ecommerce since March. The etailer grew sales 52% during the 13 weeks to August 30. 

Big-four giants Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda all made the top 15 and were joined by upmarket rival Waitrose and convenience specialist the Co-op.

AO.com took second place, as demand for fridges and freezers at the start of lockdown drove a 62.9% spike in sales in the 16 weeks to July 31, while its electricals rival Dixons Carphone also made the top 10.

Amazon’s 38% growth in the 12 weeks to June 30 was only enough to secure fourth spot. 

At the other end of the list, fashion retailers including Inditex, Ted Baker, TK Maxx and Matalan have all suffered hefty sales declines, while food-to-go operator Greggs has suffered from a lack of footfall to travel hubs and high streets across the UK.