Fulfilment Associate

KEY PLAYER PROFILE How JLP is building a connected retail media ecosystem around first-party data. 26 Sep 2026 John Lewis Partnership (JLP) is tackling the challenge of finding customers in an increasingly fragmented market by treating its retail media offering not as an advertising channel, but as an extension of its customer data strategy. Working with Epsilon, JLP is allowing brands to extend campaigns beyond the John Lewis and Waitrose websites into offsite environments including CTV, streaming services, online video and display advertising. At the same time, its partnership with retail media technology provider Kevel is strengthening onsite capabilities through AI-powered targeting, self-service campaign management and closed-loop measurement that links digital advertising to purchases made both online and in-store. Taken together, the two partnerships reflect one of the central themes in retail media: consumers increasingly expect brands to recognise them consistently across different environments. RetailX consumer survey results show that more than 70% of consumers believe good personalisation means a brand gets it right consistently rather than only occasionally, while more than half believe loyalty memberships result in more relevant communications. Customers are signalling that they value recognition - but only when it delivers genuinely useful experiences rather than repetitive advertising. With millions of customers shopping across both John Lewis and Waitrose, supported by extensive loyalty data and purchase histories, JLP can begin to understand customer behaviour across very different purchase journeys. Grocery shopping typically involves frequent, habitual purchasing decisions, while purchases through John Lewis often involve longer periods of consideration and research. Combining those behavioural signals creates a more complete picture of customer intent than either business could generate independently. Stay ahead of the ad curve. Get the latest retail media news, opinion and insight delivered straight to your inbox As Jemma Haley, Retail Media Lead for the John Lewis Partnership, explains: "This move is a big step forward in creating an insight-led retail media offer that spans both grocery and non-grocery. It helps us build a detailed understanding of audiences across vastly different purchase journeys, from immediate necessities to more considered items. This will enable brand partners to target smarter audiences, powered by first-party data, helping our customers discover more relevant brands." JLP's investment in measurement is equally significant. Connecting online marketing activity with offline purchasing behaviour is a persistent challenge. Traditional digital attribution often ends when a customer leaves a website, making it difficult for brands to understand whether online advertising ultimately influenced store sales. The introduction of ROPO (research online, purchase offline) measurement also begins to close that gap. By combining onsite retail media exposure with loyalty data, advertisers can understand whether customers who researched products digitally subsequently purchased in-store. The investment in AI-powered targeting through Kevel illustrates how retail media is evolving. Rather than targeting broad demographic groups, brands can build campaigns around behavioural signals, purchase intent and shopping context, and delivering more relevant communications. For Kaitlin Craig, Digital Retail Media Lead at the John Lewis Partnership, the objective is to use customer understanding to improve experiences for both shoppers and brands. "With over 160 years in retail, we hold really rich customer insights - and we're now able to share this with trusted partner brands. By targeting our retail media, we can improve the experience for brands and customers alike - whether that's reminding customers of old favourites, or helping them connect with exciting new brands. The early results are exciting, and we're only getting started." Tim Frankcom, President of Europe and APAC at Epsilon, adds: "The offsite opportunity is enormous and connecting onsite and offsite media remains a key challenge. It's all too easy to rely on retail media partners that lean heavily on third-party data, but this can result in fragmented targeting and a disjointed customer experience. JLP is taking a different approach, giving brands access to real identity - not guesswork - and campaigns that truly reflect the customer."

John Lewis losses widen to £124m amid rising costs. John Lewis Partnership has seen its pre-tax loss widen to £124 million in its first half, from £88 million a year earlier. The partnership was hit by increased costs in the period as operating became more expensive. This was attributed to increased employment costs, including the annualisation of last year's National Insurance rise, technology modernisation, and the cost of managing operations through the summer heatwaves to maintain service levels for customers. The partnership also increased staff pay by £108 million. Across the John Lewis Partnership, sales grew by 2% to £6.3 billion in the 26 weeks to 1 August, after Waitrose sales rose by 4% to £4.3 billion. Adjusted operating profit at the supermarket was £103 million, down £7 million, after it incurred the extra cost of running its operations through the heatwaves and increased investment in loyalty and lowering prices. Meanwhile, sales at John Lewis department stores declined by 2% to £2 billion, as the retailer faced a more "challenging" market. The partnership said John Lewis engaged in more promotional and clearance activity in the half year, supported by disciplined stock management, which contributed to full-price sales growing by 5.5%. The retailer's adjusted operating loss was £83 million compared to £53 million last year, following softer trading, cost growth, and the partnership's decision to continue investing in the transformation of the brand. John Lewis Partnership's pre-tax loss before exceptional items was £89 million, compared to £34 million last year. September 8, 2026 Jason Tarry, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, said: "Its first half results reflect its continued investment in its transformation, a more challenging trading environment and the increased costs of doing business. "Partnership sales grew, customer satisfaction remains strong and the stores we've transformed are outperforming the rest of our estate. That gives us confidence in the commercial headroom for both Waitrose and John Lewis." John Lewis Partnership said it is remaining cautious in its outlook for its second half, adding that its full-year outcome will be determined by peak trading. Tarry said: "The Retail Bulletin is managing the business with discipline and have chosen to keep investing in its customers, Partners and the long-term strength of its brands. "While losses grew in the half, its employee-owned model allows The Retail Bulletin to take that longer-term view, supported by its financial strength. "As in every year, our profit is earned in the second half so our focus now is on serving customers brilliantly through our peak trading period. I'm grateful to all our partners for everything they continue to deliver."

John Lewis Partnership losses more than double in tougher trading. By Holly Williams, Press Association Business Editor Published 10th Sep 2026, 08:11 BST The retailer reported underlying first half losses of £89 million, up from £34 million a year earlier. The John Lewis Partnership has seen half-year losses more than double amid tougher trading and said it remained cautious over the final six months. The employee-owned group, which owns the department store chain and Waitrose supermarkets, reported losses before tax and exceptional items of £89 million for the six months to August 1, up from £34 million a year earlier. On a bottom line basis, pre-tax losses widened to £124 million from £88 million a year ago as it said costs also weighed on results, including moves to restructure its head office. You May Like The John Lewis Partnership (JLP) said the head office reorganisation was focused on its central teams and had led to some job losses. While it did not disclose numbers, it said the impact on jobs was less than 1% of its total workforce. Sales in its department store chain fell 2% as it said consumers were holding back on discretionary spending, while sales across the Waitrose supermarket arm rose 4%. Overall half-year sales rose 2% to £6.3 billion. Jason Tarry, chairman of the JLP, said: "Our first-half results reflect our continued investment in our transformation, a more challenging trading environment and the increased costs of doing business." Mr Tarry told the Press Association consumers were cutting back on big purchases. He said: "Consumers are holding back on spending on bigger ticket items. "They're cautious at the moment given what's going on in the world." While the second half of the year including Christmas is traditionally much stronger for the firm, it said it was cautious. JLP said in the half year results: "There is no doubt the wider economic and geopolitical landscape has weighed on our customers during the first half and we remain cautious in our outlook for the second half. "As in every year, the majority of our profit is earned in the second half, and the full-year outcome will be determined by peak trading." Mr Tarry said there will be further cost pressures over the remainder of the year due to the Iran war and a rising workforce bill, pushed up by National Insurance tax increases and wage rises. But he told PA the group was operating in a "highly competitive market" and was "committed to making sure we do everything we can" to keep prices down for shoppers. The John Lewis sales decline marks a reversal of trading fortunes for the group after it saw sales rise by 3% in 2025-26. Underlying operating losses widened to £83 million in the department store arm, from £53 million a year ago, with the firm saying it "invested more in promotions in response to the subdued market". Will Kernan, former non-executive director at John Lewis, has this week taken over from Peter Ruis at the helm of the department store business. The new managing director's career has included stints as boss of high street retailers River Island and The White Company.