John Lewis Embraces Tradition and Technology: Return to "Never Knowingly Undersold

John Lewis is renewing its traditional price promise campaign "Never Knowingly Undersold" to regain middle-class customers and to maintain its position in the highly competitive retail market. This iconic slogan, which was discontinued by the then chairwoman Dame Sharon White in 2022, is now being reintroduced by new leadership. The goal is to leave behind a turbulent phase and increase profitability. First introduced a century ago, "Never Knowingly Undersold" guaranteed customers a refund if they found a product cheaper elsewhere. As Peter Ruis, Executive Director at John Lewis Partnership (JLP), explains, the reintroduction of this promise is not a look back at the past but a modern adjustment. Customers should be supported by the use of AI to compare prices from 25 competitors, including M&S, Selfridges, and Next. Already, 30,000 prices have been adjusted for the reopening of the campaign. The introduction of this measure coincides with the appointment of Jason Tarry, former Chief Executive of Tesco UK, as the new chair of the board. Tarry, an experienced retail expert with 30 years at Tesco, will assume his new role at JLP later this month. This appointment underscores the renewed focus on retail at JLP, which also owns Waitrose. Dame Sharon, the former head of Ofcom, had previously sought to explore new revenue streams beyond retail, such as expansions into housing and finance. These ambitious goals have since been abandoned. The return to core retail principles, such as the price promise, reflects efforts to recover from a challenging phase. During the pandemic and afterward, the company was criticized for its allegedly inhospitable and unattractive condition, leading to a three-year loss, including a significant deficit of £234 million in early 2023. Despite the challenges, Dame Sharon emphasized in an interview in June that the company is back on track and can manage the transition to new leadership smoothly. A large-scale advertising campaign, worth several millions, will accompany the return of the promise, just in time for the crucial Christmas season. In addition to the price guarantee, John Lewis will bring more staff into the stores to improve customer service. The renewed focus on the price promise and increased investments in customer service aim to help the retail chains regain lost ground and secure a stable future.