The John Lewis Partnership is set to create more than 10,400 seasonal roles across John Lewis and Waitrose as it prepares for the busy Christmas trading period.
The roles will cover the Partnership’s 320 Waitrose branches, 36 John Lewis shops, and its distribution centres and supply chain, with 6,000 positions at Waitrose, 2,600 at John Lewis, and a further 1,800 supporting logistics operations.
The recruitment drive follows significant investment across both businesses, with more than £1 billion invested in Waitrose and £800 million in John Lewis across shops and technology designed to free up Partners’ time to focus on customer service.
The Partnership said the seasonal roles will be open to candidates of all ages and backgrounds, although they have historically proved particularly popular with younger workers, with around three quarters of Christmas joiners previously aged under 25.
The recruitment drive comes as around one million young people in the UK are currently not in education, employment or training (NEET). The company said the seasonal roles could provide an opportunity for young people to gain workplace skills and begin careers in retail.
Helen Webb, Chief People Officer at the John Lewis Partnership, said: “Retail is a vital stepping stone for young people entering the workforce.
“Our seasonal roles are more than just a job for the festive period; for many, they are a catalyst for building confidence and kickstarting a long-term career.”
As part of its Building Happier Futures programme, the Partnership expects 100 of the seasonal roles to go to young people with care experience. It will also offer 300 welcome visits and 250 job-shadowing placements between now and December, with everyone completing a placement guaranteed an interview.
Pay for the seasonal roles starts at £13 an hour, rising to £14.55 in London, with rates increasing after 30 days. Roles will go live this month, with candidates already able to register their interest and sign up for job alerts.
The recruitment comes as John Lewis enters the so-called “golden quarter”, traditionally the busiest period of the retail calendar. The retailer brought forward the launch of its Christmas Shop online to 27 August after searches for festive products rose by more than 33% week-on-week, with Christmas interest emerging three weeks earlier than in 2025.
The hiring push also follows outgoing John Lewis Managing Director Peter Ruis’ recent warning that the Government should not increase business rates for large retailers ahead of the Budget, describing the potential impact on the high street as “terrible”.
Ruis said he remained optimistic about Christmas trading, but shared that economic pressures were affecting the families of core John Lewis customers, particularly those supporting graduate and teenage children, while concerns over interest rates were adding to uncertainty.