Waitrose has reported record sales during the festive season, with its most successful Christmas on record. The up-market British retailer saw total branch sales (excluding petrol) up 7.7 per cent from Sunday 4 November to Monday 24 December, with 23 December the busiest Sunday the retailer has ever recorded.
Like-for-like sales during the festive period were up by 4.3 per cent on the previous year, with the retailer's e-commerce channel, Waitrose.com, posting a sales increase of 37 per cent. Total sales across the chain's 288 stores hit £300 million in the 12 days from 18 to 31 December.
Mark Price, managing director, said, “The key to our growth this Christmas has been a combination of great value and inspiring, innovative products." He added, “Our sales for the festive period as a whole have been record-breaking, but the 12 trading days leading up to New Year’s Eve were exceptional as customers got ready for family entertaining and parties.”
Some of the most popular products sold were from the 'Heston from Waitrose' range created with celebrity chef, Heston Blumenthal. The line's Hidden Sauce Figgy Pudding and Christmas Chocolate Cake were amongst the season's top sellers. (2 Jan)
© 2012 - ESM: European Supermarket Magazine
