Waitrose sales boosted by bank holiday
Waitrose has reported that sales edged up 0.5% last week despite tough comparatives against the equivalent week last year.
As customers geared up for the bank holiday weekend, sales of flowers and plants from WaitroseFlorist.com were up 40% year-on-year. Meanwhile, sales of barbecue tools and accessories surged by 68% with sales of speciality sausages up 11%.
Prepared salads and vegetables also performed well, with sales increasing by 5% and 6% respectively.
The supermarket said customers were in the mood to celebrate the extra day off and perhaps the arrival of a new Princess. Sales of Waitrose’s relaunched range of celebration cakes were up 9% while champagne sales on Waitrose’s specialist wine website WaitroseCellar.com were up 43% on last year.
Rob Collins, retail director at Waitrose, added: “Despite the high hopes for the weather we were also prepared for a gloomier bank holiday, with sales of frozen pies up 12% and soups increasing by 9%, as customers stocked their fridges and freezers with warming foods ready for the drop in temperature. The Charlie Bigham ready meal range was also a hit, up by 44% on last year. Somewhat bizarrely, sales of essential Waitrose Pigs in Blankets were up an impressive 72%, perhaps served as an accompaniment to a Sunday roast.”
The supermarket said start of the Tour de Yorkshire also influenced shopping habits, with French food and wine flying off the shelves. Sales of President Brie and Camembert cheeses were up by 40% on the previous year while patisserie sales rose by 24%. Sales of wines from the French region of Bordeaux also increased, rising by 40%.
