Department store chain set to take on supermarkets and cheaper rivals, such as Ikea, with new discount homewares lines.
The new Value range will be launched early next week, comprising 100 lines of homewares products, including wine glasses, saucepan sets and pillows. A spokesperson for the company said the range will feature the "essential basics" to cover its customers needs for "everyday living, cooking, and sleeping".

It is the first time the upmarket retailer has ever offered a low-cost line and prices will be considerably lower than its existing range. However, it is keen to stress that it is not moving its proposition away from being a mid-premium retailer, simply offering products at both ends of the spectrum.

A box of four Value wine glasses will retail at £4, compared with £2.25 each at current prices, while towels will range from £1.50 to £5 and a set of three saucepans will be priced at £12.

John Lewis will launch an advertising campaign for the new range mid-October, which also aims to explain its famous 'Never Knowingly Undersold' slogan, which the retailer is concerned is 'not necessarily well understood' by consumers.

The Value lines will appear on shelf at John Lewis stores across the UK from September 14. The retailer also hopes to expand the range to include basic fashion lines early next year.

John Lewis' weekly sales figures for the last week of August revealed a 3.1% increase in home sales, with furniture up 10%, cooking and dining up 5% and decorative accessories up 4%. Upholstery experienced an impressive 17% increase for the seven-day period, while bedroom furniture was up 8%.