Retailer John Lewis plans to hire 7,000 temporary workers for the Christmas trading period – 2,000 more than last year – and is tempting potential recruits in a tight labour market with free food and drink.

The employee-owned partnership is also recruiting more than 550 permanent full-time drivers and warehouse workers across its distribution and online delivery centres.

"We will offer free food and drinks to partners and temporary workers from 4 October to 31 December to help ensure we can attract the help we need," John Lewis said. Unfilled vacancies across the UK have topped more than 1 million, the highest since records began in 2001.