ALARM clocks are falling out of fashion but thongs are very much in according to an annual rundown of sales trends from John Lewis.

The department store has reduced its range of alarm clocks by 30% after sales fell by 16% over the last year as people turn to mobile phones for their wake-up call.

John Lewis said the year was 'one of the toughest retailers have seen' with the partnership reporting a 98.8% profits crash for the first half of the year.

But the hot weather, World Cup and Blue Planet II encouraged people to spend their hard-earned cash.

THINGS SHOPPERS LOVED IN 2018

The Meghan effect

Sales of the Mulberry Darley bag saw a 327% spike after the Duchess of Sussex was pictured carrying one, while her choice of a bright yellow dress for a Your Commonwealth reception in July resulted in sales of yellow dresses quadrupling.

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Blue Planet II

In the four months after the final episode of Blue Planet II, sales of reusable coffee cups, travel cups and flasks were up 71% on last year.

Whatever the weather...

The year's series of extreme weather events spelt good news for sales of boots, up 63% in February and March, and inflatables, up 316% during the summer heatwave.

Summer fun 

Reality show Love Island spurred a rush of sales of inflatables and water bottles similar to those featured in the programme.

How big?

Before the football World Cup kicked off sales of 60in televisions soared by 249%, corner sofas were up 87% and John Lewis sold 40% more barbecues between June 24 and July 14 than usual.

Sisqo will be delighted...

However, the 'biggest surprise' for the retailer was a resurgence in popularity of the thong after years of declining sales, with sales up 72% alongside suspenders, which were up 132%.

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WHAT WE LEFT BEHIND IN 2018

Time to put the DVD drawer away

The days of small televisions and DVD players also seem to be numbered, with the most commonly sold screen size doubling to 70in from 2010's 36in and the rise of streaming services sending sales of DVD players tumbling by 40%.

Pressed for time

And while the trouser press may have been cutting edge in the 1960s, sales at the store have fallen 36% in the last year alone.

Knock knock...

Sales of traditional door knockers have fallen by 9% as homeowners invest in smart doorbells with features such as live video streaming and wi-fi-enabled apps.

The store said sales are up 367% since it started selling them in July last year.