Waitrose is experiencing an unprecedented early rush for Christmas shopping.
- Searches for Christmas gifts and party foods have tripled on Waitrose.com.
- Festive confectionery and desserts sales have doubled compared to last year.
- Seventy percent of delivery slots have already been filled, with 23 December almost fully booked.
- Retailers are boosting their workforce for the holiday season due to high demand.
Waitrose is witnessing an early surge in Christmas shopping, highlighting a significant shift in consumer behaviour as festive preparations commence sooner than usual. The upmarket grocer reports a threefold increase in searches for Christmas gifts and seasonal party foods on its website, Waitrose.com. Confectionery and dessert purchases have also seen a substantial rise, doubling in comparison to the previous year. This trend underscores the eagerness of shoppers to organise their festive needs well in advance.
The early demand for Christmas delivery slots is noteworthy, with 70% already secured by consumers. This represents a 6% increase in reservations since last year. Particularly for 23 December, the slots are almost entirely filled, with nine out of ten already booked. This suggests that more people are opting for online shopping to ensure convenience during the busy holiday period.
Maddy Wilson, a director at Waitrose, commented on the early enthusiasm, stating, “We’re seeing a huge appetite for Christmas already with online slots filling up faster than ever before and customers stocking up early on our festive treats.” Waitrose has expanded their Christmas range to include over 500 products, reflecting a 25% increase in volume compared to this time last year.
Retailers across the board are responding to this heightened demand by ramping up their staffing levels. Supermarkets like Sainsbury’s, M&S, Aldi, and Morrisons are in the process of hiring thousands of temporary workers to bolster customer service and manage the increased shopping activity expected over the holidays.
The early surge in festive shopping at Waitrose indicates a broader trend of consumers preparing well in advance for the Christmas season.
