UK retailer Waitrose has reported that total sales last week, excluding fuel, were 0.4% higher compared to the same week last year.
The supermarket has been promoting its premium private label range, Waitrose 1, with a national advertising campaign, and a 25% discount for shoppers. It noted that coffee, biscuits and pasta from this range were particularly popular last week.
Retail Trends
Waitrose said that last week's mixed weather, combined with a number of televised sporting events drove customers to choose convenient meal options. In particular, sales of Asian ready meals were up by 25%.
Beers, wines and spirits also performed well, with gin continuing to be a top seller (+24% year-on-year).
Last week, the retailer also announced that it is joining Tesco in reducing the price of female sanitary products in order to cover the UK's 'tampon tax'.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Sarah Harford. Click subscribe to sign up for ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.