John Lewis Claims Top Position in UK Customer Satisfaction as Waitrose Stumbles

In a significant shift within the British retail landscape, John Lewis has surpassed Marks & Spencer to secure the highest customer satisfaction rating amongst UK retailers, whilst its sister company Waitrose has experienced a notable decline in rankings.

The department store chain achieved an impressive score of 86.7 out of 100 in the latest UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI), positioning itself third overall across all sectors and claiming the premier position in retail. This achievement positions the employee-owned retailer ahead of M&S, which recorded scores of 85.6 for its food division and 85.4 for non-food operations.

The contrasting fortunes within the John Lewis Partnership are particularly evident as Waitrose descended to 26th place, securing a score of 82.4, down from 84.4 in the previous year when it held fourth position. Despite this decline, the upmarket grocer maintains its standing within the top 10 per cent of UK organisations for customer satisfaction.

The partnership’s divergent performance reflects the success of a strategic overhaul led by Jason Tarry, former Tesco executive and current partnership chairman, alongside Managing Director Peter Ruis. Their approach has centred on enhancing customer experience through staff retraining, store modernisation, digital service improvements, and the reintroduction of their price-match guarantee.

Jo Causon, chief executive of the Institute of Customer Service, highlighted the correlation between customer satisfaction and financial performance, noting that retailers who maintain consistent customer focus typically demonstrate enhanced brand loyalty and sustainable growth. The UKCSI’s findings are based on approximately 60,000 consumer responses, evaluating organisations across multiple metrics including experience, complaints handling, and ethical considerations.

The retail sector continues to demonstrate strong performance overall, with non-food retail achieving an average score of 81.5, exceeding the all-sector average by more than four points. Notable performers included Holland & Barrett, matching M&S non-food with 85.4, followed by Ocado and Amazon.co.uk with scores of 83.5 and 83.4 respectively.