Upmarket grocer Waitrose saw a 2.5 increase of year-on-year sales growth this week to £138m as festive preparations continue to build.

Traditionally a time where consumers buy premium products, this Christmas is unlikely to buck the trend.

Rob Collins Retail Director, Waitrose said the grocer was seeing a significant trend for people buying food and drink with a “wow factor.”

He said sales of its Heston from Waitrose chocolate box have soared 20-fold compared to the week before.

Meanwhile department store John Lewis posted a sales increase of 1.4 per cent to £149m compared to the same week last year.

Home category sales – a mix of furnishing and gifting sales – drove record category growth for the retailer.

It said last week proved that Christmas trade is taking an “unusual shape.”

Andy Street, Managing Director, John Lewis commented: “Against a challenging market Fashion also traded well, with all areas edging forward before this week‘s peak targets. The charge was led by another superb result in Childrenswear.”

Sales at JohnLewis.com rose 13 per cent year-on-year.