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Waitrose today said a big thank you to Marks & Spencer for its “high-profile advertising campaign” after the John Lewis-owned supermarket saw soaring sales of its tea bags, penne pasta and sausages, all featured in M&S's price comparison ads.
In a trading update that cast doubt on supermarkets' marketing strategy of flagging up competitors' prices in adverts and in stores, Waitrose said it “should be thanking the M&S marketing department for highlighting both the quality and value of [its] essential Waitrose range”.
Demand for the Waitrose tea bags featured in Marks & Spencer's campaign shot up 96% year-on-year, while shoppers bought 40% more of the pasta and sausages pictured in the ads.
Waitrose saw its sales growth soar to its highest since 2006, up by nearly a fifth to £90.5 million. More shoppers turned to booze, with malt whisky sales up 22% and beer up by nearly two thirds.
The John Lewis department stores also traded well, up 13% year-on-year, with the Oxford Street branch seeing a 16% surge in takings. Sales director Nat Wakely said demand for toys was “climbing that hill to Christmas in confidence, with a clear theme of anything animal related”.
He added: “Overall, seeing all the buying groups in positive territory should give us great confidence as we enter the last seven weeks to Christmas.”
Reader views (4)
Ohhhhhhhhhhh you lucky people , wish there was just one of them out here in Veliko Turnovo , I have not shopped in a decent food store for 6 years .
- Andrew Davies, Veliko Turnovo
yes indeed. Waitrose is head and shoulders above M&S in all areas. Marks does have a problem with its ridiculous sell-by dates that barely let you get home to eat the stuff. It always seems impossible to do a weeks shop in M&S without having to stay up all night to eat the stuff before it has expired.
- Squiz, Islington
M&S shelf life for food is a joke, they try to sell same day stuff for full price. And most of the time M&S staff are never there when you need them. Waitrose however, mark same day produce down, have GENUINE savings and a GENUINE range of products and the staff without a fault are SUPERB. M&S severely stuck in the past.
- Bah Humbug, London
Waitrose rocks. It's the best.
M&S is very average indeed. People shop there to give the impression that they are somewhat above everyone else.
Waitrose all the way for me.
- Anthony, Esher, Surrey
