Furby Boosts John Lewis Ahead Of Christmas

The return of one of the biggest toy crazes of the 1990s has given a festive boost to sales at department store John Lewis.

The retailer increased overall takings by 7.6% on a year ago to £91.7m in the week to Saturday.

Kids' technology products and scooters joined the Furby, an updated version of the electronic robot toy first launched in 1998, as favourite buys for parents.

It added that tablet PCs continue to be the "hero product" of the season after a 22% jump in electrical and home technology sales over the week.

The store’s online sales were up 31% on a year earlier as the chain's internet operation gears up for its peak week of trade in three weeks' time.

The sales growth figure of 7.6% compares with a rise of 11.4% the previous week, when the stores business achieved sales of £85m.