Gifting olive oil over wine? Waitrose outlines yearly sales trends

Customers at Waitrose are increasingly opting for luxury when it comes to staple food items, said the UK supermarket in its annual food and drink report, published on Thursday.

“A pantry stocked with premium, ethical and – crucially – pretty brands such as Belazu and Citizens of Soil has become a status symbol,” said the retailer  – owned by John Lewis Partnership.

In the year-to-date, premium extra virgin olive oil sales are up 15% at the supermarket, according to Waitrose buyer Elinor Griffin.

Citing an article from House & Garden magazine, Waitrose even suggested that olive oil may be replacing wine as a gift to offer hosts.

One advantage – according to the article – is that olive oil is a gift that keeps giving.

Unlike a bottle of wine, usually drunk rapidly at a dinner party, oil is a present that lasts.

Given the spike in olive oil prices, that’s perhaps a good thing – with weather-induced crises causing costs to soar in recent years.

Other pantry goods getting a makeover include olives, nuts, honey, vinegar and even salt, said Waitrose. 

The retailer added that the search for simple scratch cooking ideas has also boosted sales of quality canned and jarred foods.

According to this year’s survey, more people are making meals from scratch due to an increased awareness of the dangers of processed food.

No recipe? No problem

Although cooking from scratch is having its moment in the sun, Waitrose noted a rise in younger cooks shunning recipes.

This demographic prefers to forgo instructions, said the report, with 72% of young people reporting that they feel confident cooking without a recipe.

In comparison, 70% of customers over 45 still use traditional recipe books.

This arguably feeds into another culinary trend popping up on social media: “picky tea” or “girl dinner”.

To translate, we’re talking about a random mix of snacks, served together as a meal.

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“It’s food as something flexible, rather than something that is either right or wrong,” said Waitrose senior brand development chef Paul Gamble.

While picky teas allow those with busy schedules to save on cooking time, they can also be a good way to reduce food waste and use up miscellaneous leftovers.

Another popular time-saver this year includes “pimped up” pot noodles, said Waitrose.

“We’ve looked at how long people are prepared to cook for on a weekday evening,” says Waitrose senior brand development chef Zoë Simons, “and we’ve found that 30 minutes is a real sweet spot”.

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What is stripy drinking?

When it comes to booze, the supermarket chain highlighted that customers are drinking more responsibly.

Zebra-striping is notably on the rise, which describes the process of alternating between an alcoholic drink and a nonalcoholic one.

Booze-free alternatives are also continuing to boom

“At Waitrose, no and low sales are up by nearly a fifth,” said  Pierpaolo Petrassi, head of beer, wine and spirits.

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In an unexpected return to the 80s house party scene, boxed wine is making a comeback for those who do want a tipple – added Waitrose.

The shelf life of boxed wine is longer than a bottle – six weeks after opening – which makes it more convenient for a one-off glass.

The popularity of canned wine is also growing, noted Waitrose, with sales up 36% this year.