UK employee owned retail group running John Lewis department stores and Waitrose food shops
johnlewispartnership.co.ukLegal name
John Lewis Partnership plc
CFO
Andy Mounsey, Chief Financial Officer
Founded
1929
Employees
Around 65,000 Partners
Industry
Retail: department stores, grocery, financial services
Revenue (FY25/26)
£13.4bn group sales for the 53 weeks to 31 January 2026, up 5%Ownership
Employee owned, held in trust for Partners
Listed on
Not listed, no public stock exchange listing
Headquarters
Pimlico, London, United Kingdom
John Lewis Partnership plc is a UK retail group founded in 1929 and run as the country's largest employee owned business. Its staff are called Partners, and the business is held in trust on their behalf rather than listed on a stock exchange. The group is headquartered in Pimlico, London, and employs around 65,000 Partners.
The Partnership trades through two main brands. John Lewis runs 36 department stores selling home, fashion, beauty and technology products, and Waitrose runs more than 300 food shops. Supporting businesses include John Lewis Money, the Leckford Estate farm, textile maker Herbert Parkinson and the Dishpatch meal delivery service.
For the 53 weeks to 31 January 2026 the group reported sales of £13.4bn, up 5%, with Waitrose at £8.5bn and John Lewis at £4.9bn. Profit before tax, bonus and exceptional items rose 6% to £134m, and the Board paid a 2% Partnership Bonus. Current investment priorities include a £1bn multi year Waitrose shop programme and £108m added to Partner pay from April 2026.
Chairman
Chief Financial Officer
Managing Director, John Lewis
Managing Director, Waitrose
Interview experience
Favourable
Interview difficulty
Medium
Interview process length
About a week
Practise real questions, get instant feedback and walk in ready.
Q: What could you bring to the position?
A: Pick two or three strengths that match shop floor work, such as reliability on early shifts, calm handling of busy periods and care with stock accuracy. Back each one with a short example from past work or study.
Q: Are you a customer focused person?
A: Say yes, then prove it with a moment where you noticed a customer needed help before they asked. Describe what you did and how the customer reacted.
Q: Can you work as part of a team?
A: Describe a shift or project where you covered for a teammate, shared information at handover or split tasks to hit a deadline. Keep the focus on what you contributed.
Q: Tell me about yourself.
A: Give a 60 second arc: where you are now, one or two relevant experiences, and why retail with this employer is the next step. Skip the full life story.
Practise real questions, get instant feedback and walk in ready.
Reported average
£13.38 per hour
36 salaries reported Salaries submitted
Reported average
£35,028 per year
8 salaries reported Salaries submitted
Reported average
£26,138 per year
2 salaries reported Salaries submitted
Reported average
£29,159 per year
11 salaries reported Salaries submitted
Reported average
£40,618 per year
16 salaries reported Salaries submitted
Reported average
£66,801 per year
24 salaries reported Salaries submitted
Compare pay across roles and see where you fit before you apply.
London (Pimlico) • Permanent
London (Pimlico) • Permanent
London (Pimlico) • Permanent
London (Pimlico) • Permanent
London (Pimlico) • Permanent
London (Greenwich) • Permanent
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July 3, 2026
John Lewis Money appoints former Tesco Bank chief Gerry Mallon to its board
Gerry Mallon joined John Lewis Finance Limited as an independent non executive director. John Lewis Money now serves 1.4 million customers and handled £1.5bn of spending across John Lewis and Waitrose last year.
#Leadership #FinancialServices #Appointment
View postMay 27, 2026
Waitrose commits new investment to Manchester and London supermarkets
Waitrose is opening supermarkets in Hale Barns, South Manchester and Cricklewood, North West London in autumn 2026, adding more than 30,000 sq ft of selling space. Both sites will hire new Partners as part of a £1bn multi year shop programme.
#Expansion #Retail #Hiring
View postMay 27, 2026
Waitrose puts over £20m into lower prices on everyday staples
Waitrose cut prices on more than 160 own brand products, its ninth round of reductions since 2023, bringing cumulative investment to £162.5m across over 1,000 lines. The average saving is 12%.
#Pricing #Grocery #Value
View postMarch 12, 2026
John Lewis Partnership reports £13.4bn sales and a 2% Partnership Bonus
For the 53 weeks to 31 January 2026 group sales rose 5% to £13.4bn and profit before tax, bonus and exceptional items rose 6% to £134m. The Board awarded all Partners a 2% bonus.
#Results #Retail #EmployeeOwnership
View postFebruary 18, 2026
Partnership announces £108m investment in Partner pay
From 1 April 2026 shop floor pay rises 6.9% to £13.25 an hour nationally and £14.80 inside the M25, worth about £1,600 a year to a full time Partner. It follows around £300m of pay investment over three years.
#Pay #People #Retail
View postThe Partnership is employee owned. Shares are held in trust on behalf of everyone who works there, which is why staff are called Partners. There's no stock exchange listing and no outside shareholders.
