Waitrose and John Lewis employees set to receive 15% of their salary as a bonus, as the Partnership reports a 6.5% sales increase for 2009.
The bonus equates to almost eight-week's salary and the £151.3m pot will be shared amongst 70,000 employees under the group's co-ownership scheme.

The Partnership's results for the year to January 30, 2010 revealed a 6.5% increase in gross sales to £7.4bn. Profit before tax and the Partnership bonus was up 9.7% to £306m.

Department store chain John Lewis saw positive results for the year, with gross sales up 2.8% to £2.9bn, while like-for-like sales were up 2.3% on a 52-week basis (the previous trading year comprised 53 weeks).

Sales for the second half of the year were up 5.6%, while home reported a 2.5% increase for the full year and electricals and home technology, including white goods, grew by 3.6%. Over the course of the year, the department store chain has aimed to broaden its customer appeal, introducing a value range and significantly expanding its own-brand range, as well as collaborating with British designers for exclusive offers in its home range.

The company believes its reputation and its 'never knowingly undersold' pricing policy, helped drive sales during the recession. The trading statement explained: "[It] has served us well over the past year as consumers have turned to the retailers they trust during a period of economic turbulence."

The first John Lewis at Home store in Poole "traded ahead of expectations", achieving its sales target for the year three weeks, ahead of schedule. The group is confident that the new format has potential for further expansion, with another store already confirmed in Purley Way, Croydon.

Online sales were also strong, with John Lewis Direct reporting an 18.2% sales increase to £393.5m. Into the 2010/2011 financial year, John Lewis is trading positively, with sales over the past five weeks already 17.5% higher than last year. The Partnership has reported a 13.5% increase overall.

The company added: "We anticipate more challenging trading conditions in 2010, particularly in the second half of the year. The likely withdrawal of monetary stimulus, higher taxes, the possibility of increased interest rates and the implications of public spending cuts make for an uncertain outlook, which is likely to impact n consumer confidence. However, the Partnership's ownership model enables us to focus on the long term and to push ahead with our plans even in difficult market conditions."