JOHN Lewis is making a huge change across all 36 UK stores just days after cutting its credit perks.
The retailer has kicked off the make-over of its nationwide beauty halls as part of an £800million investment into the brand.
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The retailer unveiled the new concept at its Liverpool store on Friday, with five more set to open this year.
The beauty hall has been expanded by nearly 40% and features 132 premium brands, with 23 new or expanded counters including labels Trinny London and Byredo.
John Lewis also announced a new partnership with Rihanna‘s Fenty Beauty with the brand debuting in the Liverpool store and launching a new collection online.
The singer and make-up mogul said she was “proud to expand our Fenty Beauty brands even further by finally launching at John Lewis in the UK”.
John Lewis last year pledged to inject more than £250million into its stores over two years as part of the restorations, which will pump a total of £800million into the John Lewis brand over the next four years.
Peter Ruis, John Lewis’s executive director, had said some of its stores needed “more love” after a challenging few years for the retailer, which has included a handful of store closures and a shift in shopping behaviours following the pandemic.
However, the group is betting on the future of a modernised shopping experience, with its revamped beauty halls featuring “multi-sensory” experiences including fragrance spaces, treatment rooms and beauty services.
Similar refurbishments are set to launch at stores in Bluewater, Solihull, Cambridge, Welwyn and London White City before the end of 2025.
Vikki Kavanagh, John Lewis’s chief commercial officer, said: “The vision is for the stores to be destinations where people can discover and shop curated collections, learn from an expert, try a new beauty treatment, or meet a friend for lunch.”
Beauty sales have surged by more than 40% over the past five years, attracting new and returning customers both in stores and online, John Lewis said.
When the initiative is complete, the retailer expects to offer some 540 beauty counters, almost 70 treatment rooms, and more than 400 beauty services nationwide.
John Lewis unveiled a £6.5million upgrade to its flagship Oxford Street store in London last year.
This included a new larger beauty hall, a dedicated fragrance space and Waterstones bookshop within the store.
Despite these investments, John Lewis sparked frustration among loyal shoppers by cutting its credit card perks earlier this month.
One shopper on X.com described the decision as the brand “shooting themselves in their own foot.”
How have John Lewis credit card perks changed?
Since August 1, partnership credit card holders have seen their rewards reduced when shopping with other retailers.
Previously, customers earned one point for every £4 spent at other stores, with each point converting into 1p and redeemable as gift vouchers for John Lewis and its sister brand, Waitrose.
However, the spending threshold has now increased to £10, meaning customers need to spend more at other retailers or wait longer to accumulate rewards.
The rewards for shopping at John Lewis and Waitrose remain unchanged, with customers continuing to earn five points for every £4 spent and receiving a £5 voucher for every 500 points earned.
A John Lewis Money spokesperson said: “Our rewards are being updated to help maintain our market-leading reward for spending at John Lewis and Waitrose, where customers earn 1.25% back on every pound spent.”
It is not the first time the retailer has lowered rewards for spending elsewhere.
In 2020, the retailer reduced the amount customers of points customers earn from purchases made at other stores from one point for £2 spent to £4.
But it is not all bad news for card holders, with the retailer announcing bigger rewards for loyal customers.
For the next three years, shoppers will earn triple points when shopping in John Lewis stores and double points when shopping online.
Credit card need-to-knows
NOT using a credit card effectively can wreak havoc on your finances and your credit score.
If you don’t keep up with repayments or default on your debt, you are likely to get a black mark on your credit record, which could affect your ability to get a credit card, loan or mortgage in the future.
It’s important not to let yourself get sucked into overspending.
You should always clear the full balance as soon as possible.
If you have a poor credit score, don’t bank on being approved for a card or getting the 0% deal you’d hoped for.
Card providers only have to give the advertised rate to 51% of applicants, so you could end up paying more interest than you bargained for.
If you’ve got a poor credit record, you’re less likely to get the best rates.
And if you are looking for a new credit card, don’t apply for lots at once.
After your 0% period is up, lenders can charge upwards of 40% interest, so if you have not repaid the debt fully by then, try to move the debt onto another 0% deal.
