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.
