Spar has reported a 2.3% year-on-year increase in Christmas and New Year sales, which was an increase of 13.2% on pre-pandemic figures.
In the four weeks to 2 January 2022, the total grocery category rose by 14% year-on-year. Medicines had the highest year-on-year sales rise (+47%), with cold and flu remedies driving this growth. Baby products sales grew by 25% year-on-year, with baby food up by 24% year-on-year, Spar revealed.
The symbol group reported that total fresh sales grew by 7.1% year-on-year.
Notably, soups sales grew by 26% year-on-year, with an increase in ready-to-serve soups sales 31%.
In addition, crisps and snacks grew by 19%, propped by everyday sharing subcategory, which saw growth of 53% year-on-year. Soft drinks had the highest contribution to the overall grocery sales with impulse sports and energy drinks subcategory driving the growth.
Louise Hoste, Spar UK Managing Director, said: “Our busiest days during the four-week period were Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve in cash sales and number of transactions showing how shoppers are motivated to use our stores.”
The symbol group said its Spar own label Christmas packaged lines, particularly the savoury range and the new party food lines, performed “very well”. The ‘2 for £2’ was a very popular price mechanism, Spar said.
Hoste added: “We had a really strong Christmas week for Spar Brand sales, which were up 5.4% year-on-year, and Spar Brand continues to deliver growth. It is worth over £350m annually and is the twentieth biggest selling food brand in the UK.
“We have a great pipeline of development, covering a number of categories coming up in the next few months. We have had a great response from shoppers to our relaunched paperware range and additions to our frozen category.”
She added: “We have a number of exciting new projects landing in stores this year which will validate our position as the leading symbol group in the UK.”
