Sales at John Lewis have fallen in the past week as the retailer contended with good weather and flagging customer confidence.

The department store division of the John Lewis Partnership recorded a 5.6 per cent fall in sales to£47.34 million for the week to September 20.

John Lewis said that it had suffered in the wake of turmoil in financial markets, the warm weather and coming up against higher comparatives.

John Lewis director of retail operations Patrick Lewis said that the retailer’s sales had increased more than 3 per cent over the month and that it was “a very pleasing score in a tough market”.

The retailer said that, following its biggest fashion ad campaign to date, all branches had “an extra interest” in clothing. The fashion directorate reported sales down 0.4 per cent during the week.

John Lewis’ home division reported a sales slide of 14 per cent and electricals and home technology fell 2.4 per cent.

The retailer’s Oxford Street store led the retailer’s performance, being the only store that has been established in positive territory for a year, with sales up 5 per cent. Sales at its Peterborough store fell 20.9 per cent.

Meanwhile, John Lewis Partnership-owned grocer Waitrose reported flat sales of£72.6 million for the period.

Fine weather drove sales of barbecues and associated products as well as ice cream, with bakery up 10 per cent on last year and sandwiches up 8 per cent. Sales of frozen fruit were up 13 per cent.