John Lewis Partnership is extending its collaboration with Caffè Nero by opening the chain’s coffee shops in some of its department stores and supermarkets.

Five have opened in the partnership’s Waitrose supermarkets and one John Lewis store, building on a partnership with Nero Group which launched in 2021 to offer free hot drinks to My Waitrose loyalty card holders.

Waitrose scrapped the offer in 2018, but reintroduced it on the back of customer demand and the free hot drinks machines are available in 320 Waitrose outlets.

John Lewis Partnership has now introduced the first sit-in cafés in England as a further development of the relationship with Caffè Nero. The coffee will be served by baristas, it said, unlike the free coffee.

Will Stratton-Morris, UK chief executive of Caffè Nero UK, described the collaboration as a “perfect pairing”, adding: “There is still so much scope for our partnership to continue to grow.”

John Lewis Partnership, which reintroduced its “never knowingly undersold” price pledge, reported a 2% rise in sales to £5.9 billion in the first half and said it was on track to deliver significantly higher full-year profit above the £42 million reported last year.