Leading department store retailers in the UK 2012-2017, by market share
John Lewis takes the lead
The change in the market share figures of department store retail in 2012 and 2017 tells us two different stories. On one hand, the upward trend in the annual sales revenue of John Lewis is indicative of the retailer’s lead in the department store market. Similarly, a performance drop in Marks & Spencer’s clothing and home revenue for this period helps explain the retailer’s being relegated to second place in 2017.
High Street in decline
On the other hand, the decline experienced by department store retailers like M&S, Debenhams and House of Fraser points towards the fact that department stores are burdened by a struggling high street. Indeed, from 2013 to the first half of 2018, the high street was increasingly plagued by closures, with the gap between store openings and closures widening.