Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
Total sales were down 1.8%, excluding petrol, for supermarket chain Waitrose last week (to January 23) – but cookware and dining products performed well.
Last week saw the start of Waitrose’s ‘Power of 5’ promotion, which allows customers to save 25% when they purchase any five fruit and veg products, giving them the opportunity to save on the lines they buy regularly.
The promotion saw soft fruit sales increase 12.1%, with smoothie favourites strawberries and raspberries rising 29% and 14% respectively. To give smoothies an added ‘green’ boost, avocados were up 15.4% and organic green veg up 31%, with spinach proving popular, up 47%.
Customers were also keen to purchase new pieces for their kitchens, with cookware up 36% and dining products up 65.2%.
In addition, last week saw the launch of Waitrose’s new TV advertising campaign for its Pick Your Own Offers, which has now seen 1 million customers sign up to the scheme.
Waitrose marketing director Rupert Thomas said: “While healthy eating is clearly still on the agenda for many, customers were also looking ahead at treating themselves over Easter, with Easter confectionery up 17.6% on the same period last year.”
