John Lewis partnership reports widened losses in first half of year

John Lewis Partnership has reported a loss of £89 million for the first half of this year, up from £34 million in the same period last year. The British retailer, which runs John Lewis stores and Waitrose supermarkets, blamed higher costs and weaker customer spending. One large expense was £29 million from a government levy on packaging. Rising national insurance costs also hurt the business. Shoppers have been spending less because of ongoing cost-of-living pressures. Interestingly, both the John Lewis and Waitrose brands performed better individually, but this was not enough to stop the overall loss from growing. The results raise doubts about whether the company's recovery plan can succeed against these external pressures.