Sales of loose veg and refillables on the rise at Waitrose
Waitrose & Partners has increased orders of its best-selling loose vegetables by 75% this Christmas compared to last as sales of their packaged equivalents have decreased.
Over the last ten months, sales of loose broccoli are up 8% whilst loose parsnips have risen by 6%, when a year ago they were in decline. Loose carrots and loose red potatoes are up by 21% and 23% respectively in the last two months alone and loose sprouts are outperforming their packaged version by 5%.
The retailer also reports that sales of refillables at its four Waitrose Unpacked shops, where it is currently testing taking a number of products out of their packaging, including pasta, lentils, cereals, frozen fruit, coffee, wine and beer, are outselling their packaged equivalent by 68%.
At its Botley Road shop where the concept originally launched in June refillable essential Waitrose fusilli pasta and long grain rice are outselling their packaged versions by 37% and 78% respectively. Refillable porridge oats are also up 78%, red lentils are up by 62% and dried soft figs by almost 50%.
“For the last 20 years the convenience of packaged produce has seen it outsell loose, but as consumers have become increasingly environmentally conscious and wanting to buy only what they need, we could be returning to how people used to shop with loose produce making a big comeback,” says Waitrose & Partners, fresh produce buyer, Paul Bidwell.
"We know we have a lot of work still to do to encourage customers to buy more loose fruit and vegetables, but there are signs we are seeing a shift in customer behaviour and we want to build on that momentum.”