Waitrose reports record trading week in Jubilee run-up

Sales surged 19.8% in the week to Saturday June 2. The grocer said the main driver was the Jubilee, but that 25% off promotions across wine and champagne had also helped. Sales excluding wine were up 18.1%.

Waitrose managing director Mark Price said: “The prospect of a long weekend and a wonderful focus for celebration spurred shoppers into action.

“Many people clearly welcomed having a great reason to step away from day-to-day budgeting to stock up on fabulous food and drink for Jubilee parties and entertaining.”

Waitrose said picnic favourites were best sellers, with Melton Mowbray Pork Pies, Scotch eggs, and sausage roll sales all up by 76% and trifle up by 28% year-on-year.

Cider and British ales were the most popular beverages for the Jubilee as sales surged 70% and 25% respectively. English Wine had its biggest week on record with sales up 96%.

Many patriotic customers also turned to home baking as tubes of red, white and blue icing rocketed 637%.

Waitrose said Heston Blumenthal’s and Royal Chef Mark Flanagan’s special dessert the Diamond Jubilee Crunch became a “must-have” table centre piece, as the recipe card and the ingredients to recreate the dish were in “hot demand”.