London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

John Lewis to axe 'Never knowingly undersold' vow

John Lewis to axe 'Never knowingly undersold' vow

John Lewis is planning to replace its famous promise to match rivals' prices as its new boss plans radical changes to the business.

"Never knowingly undersold" has become harder to defend as competition from online retailers has become ever tougher.

The new chief executive Sharon White told the Sunday Times she expected the price pledge to go.

The slogan has been in place since 1925.

"The proposition is important because it signifies being fair to society. We're reviewing it to improve it," Ms White told the Sunday Times.

The department store chain has already announced the closure of eight stores including its flagship Birmingham site which only opened five years ago as it struggles to adapt to the challenges arising from the pandemic. This year between 60% and 70% of John Lewis's sales are expected to be online, compared to 40% last year.

Even before Covid-19 hit, the chain, which is run as a partnership, had warned it might not pay the usual staff dividend as competition ate into profits.

Ms White told the Sunday Times the chain needed "more inspiration, surprise, fun" and that it would compete by "curating" items in store better. John Lewis would focus less on women's fashion and get rid of travel and spa services. Instead it would offer more financial, home and garden products, she said.

Ms White said she wanted to reaffirm John Lewis's reputation as a socially responsible retailer and "shout more" about its values.

Price pledge


For nearly a century John Lewis has promised to refund the difference in price, to any shopper who could find an item cheaper elsewhere within 28 days.

However the commitment has never applied to sales from internet-only retailers, which have lower costs and often undercut the High Street on price.

John Lewis indicated earlier this year it was reviewing the promise. It said "fair value" would still be central to its ethos but "in a more modernised form"; it hopes to have a new slogan in place by October.

"Never knowingly undersold is from another era," said Catherine Shuttleworth, founder of retail marketing agency Savvy.

"She's got to correct the course on that. They'll be out of business if they do that in a world where Amazon change their prices every minute."

The business is also facing challenges in its Waitrose grocery arm. Next month its long-standing link with delivery service Ocado comes to an end at a time when customers are queuing to sign up for online shopping.

The scale of the overall challenge should not be underestimated, said Ms Shuttleworth.

"It's the biggest crisis in the history of the partnership... There's got to be some significant changes to make sure it survives for the future."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×