Waitrose racked up a record GBP 200 million in sales in the week leading up to Christmas, buoyed, in part, by “massive” sales growth among celebratory seafood items, the upmarket UK retailer reported on Wednesday.
Sales of many of the seafood items in the retailer’s WaitroseEntertaining range were up considerably over last Christmas. Sales of smoked salmon canapés were up by 122 percent, large dressed crab by 168 percent, luxury seafood entrées by 217 percent and dressed lobster by an astounding 278 percent.
In a sign that consumer sentiment is improving in the UK, sales across the entire WaitroseEntertaining range were up 29 percent from last Christmas, while orders were up 19 percent. In December, sales of all groceries were up 9.5 percent from December 2010 and 19.1 percent from December 2009.
Also, online sales through Waitrose.com were up 49 percent in the week leading up to Christmas, while orders were up 68 percent.
“More customers than ever before shopped across all our ranges this Christmas, from luxurious festive fare to essential Waitrose trimmings,” said Waitrose Managing Director Mark Price. “We’ve had a very strong Christmas.”
