Winning week for Waitrose

Waitrose’s commercial director, Mark Williamson said Waitrose.com experienced a “fantastic” week with sales up 60 per cent compared with the same week in 2013.

“Boosted by our thank you gift of a free bottle of champagne with customers’ first order in January, the number of orders received even rivalled Christmas week,” he said.

“Customers have been quick to start the new year and the day as they mean to go on; sales of Waitrose Organic Jumbo Porridge Oats grew by 37 per cent, whilst sales of LOVE life you count Special Choice were up by 47 per cent, essential Waitrose Bran Flakes were up 70 per cent, Waitrose Fruit & Fibre was up 80 per cent and essential Waitrose Rice Pops were up 128 per cent.”

Vegetable sales grew significantly; sweetcorn was up more than 105 per cent, courgettes were up 76 per cent, chard was up 134 per cent, kale 30 per cent and carrots sales were up nearly 120 per cent.

Fruit and salads saw healthy sales too; soft fruit was up 10 per cent, exotic fruit up 24 per cent, salads almost 80 per cent and snacking fruit up nearly 35 per cent.

Mr Williamson said the cold weather saw shoppers increasingly turn to making heart-warming dishes and prepacked lamb jumped by 18 per cent, prepacked beef by 12 per cent and sausages by seven per cent.

Customers also replenished their kitchens with store cupboard staples.