Sales up at Waitrose last week as Easter celebrations unfolded

Total sales excluding fuel were 20.2% higher at Waitrose & Partners last week (to Saturday April 20) than the same week last year – although “comparisons continue to be distorted by Easter falling several weeks later in 2019 compared to last year,” said the department store group’s customer director Martin George.

He commented: “As Easter celebrations unfolded and warmer temperatures swept the nation, sales of barbecue and warm weather food products increased at the weekend, along with ice cream and desserts.

“Sales of soft drinks, beers, ciders and spirits also enjoyed significant increases, with the Heston from Waitrose chocolate teapot and Heston from Waitrose chocolate scotch eggs continuing to be top sellers in our Easter collection.

“In this week, Waitrose & Partners Essential chicken was recommended for its quality and value by ‘Which?’ consumer magazine in a new supermarket chicken report. In addition, we announced that we will be funding 10 projects designed to find, test and share effective solutions to tackle plastic pollution and help clean up the oceans.”

Heston from Waitrose The Chocolate Teapot was a top seller in the retailer’s Easter 2019 collection