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Waitrose is reporting a surge in sales of key festive baking ingredients as customers get spoons at the ready for Stir Up Sunday this weekend.
Stir Up Sunday is a festive British tradition when bakers make their puddings on the last Sunday before Advent to allow plenty of maturation before the big day.
Sales of sultanas and currants are up 44%, while traditional Christmas pudding ingredient suet is up by 29% and plain flour has seen a sales increase of 12%.
In a recent survey conducted by the supermarket chain, it was revealed that 15% of people thought that making their Christmas pudding officially marked the start of Christmas and almost one fifth of 18-24 year olds said that Christmas baking was their favourite foodie moment of the entire festive period.
Waitrose baking buyer Tim Shaw said: ‘Stir Up Sunday is a wonderful tradition and for many it signals the start of the countdown to Christmas. It traditionally brings families together in the kitchen and there’s no doubt that programmes such as ‘The Great British Bake Off’ have reignited the nation’s love of baking.’
And it’s not just pudding ingredients that are on the up. The new Waitrose website waitrosekitchen.com has seen an increase in sales of baking equipment ahead of the weekend. Mixing bowls are up 200%, while spatulas have seen a surge in sales, up 200%.
