Waitrose celebrates most successful Christmas on record
Waitrose has reported its most successful Christmas on record as total branch sales for the festive period increased by 7.7%.
From Sunday 4 November to Monday 24 December, sales rose by 4.3% on a like-for-like basis compared to the same period last year. Customer numbers were up by 4.5%.
The supermarket said that volume growth, driven by the extension of its Brand Price Match in May this year, was a key factor in the sales uplift with the number of items purchased up by 5.9%.
Trade in the seven days before Christmas was strong, with 23 December becoming the supermarket’s busiest ever Sunday. Online grocery sales rose 37% in the period.
Never Miss a Retail Update!Some of the biggest selling products included Heston from Waitrose Hidden Sauce Figgy Pudding and the Heston from Waitrose Christmas Chocolate Cake. There were also strong sales of the new book ‘How Rude, Modern Manners Defined’ which was published to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Waitrose as part of the John Lewis Partnership.
Waitrose managing director, Mark Price, said: “The key to our growth this Christmas has been a combination of great value and inspiring, innovative products. This has led to increased volumes driving our sales uplift as more people shopped with us and existing customers bought additional items.
“Customers have been particularly savvy in their shopping patterns – with strong promotions on confectionery and bakery items more than a month before Christmas motivating them to get ahead of the game.
“Trade in the seven days before Christmas was remarkable, with 23rd December proving our busiest Sunday on record.”
