Waitrose sales rise 4.2% last week as cooler weather drives customers to buy comfort food
Sales at Waitrose rose 4.2% last week despite a tough comparison against the same week last year, when trade was boosted by hot weather and the Olympic Closing Ceremony.
The cooler temperatures at the beginning of the week led customers to buy warming foods such as Indian ready meals, pasta, gravy and Yorkshire puddings.
Shoppers also stocked their freezers with comfort foods including frozen pizzas, up 26%, and frozen chips and potatoes, up 11%.
Horticulture sales increased by 19.5%, with British bouquets performing particularly well. Sales of outdoor plants soared by 177% as shoppers took the opportunity to spend more time in their gardens with the arrival of the warmer weather towards the weekend.
Never Miss a Retail Update!During the week, the supermarket opened its first branch in Aylesbury while also launching a farm shop at its Leckford Estate farm in Hampshire.
Known as ‘The Farm Shop, Leckford Estate’, the 165 square metre shop has created 20 new jobs and will act as a showcase for food grown on the farm while also stocking food from local and regional producers.
