SUPERMARKET chain Waitrose lifted sales over Easter as more people stayed at home for the bank holiday weekend.
Takings rose by 23.6% at £94.7m in the week to last Saturday, with shops in holiday towns reporting the strongest figures.
Year-on-year comparisons were distorted by the timing of Easter, but Waitrose said it still saw a strong performance.
The supermarket, part of the John Lewis Partnership, sold 7.6m hot cross buns over Easter.
John Lewis said sales at its department stores fell by 1.5%. The retailer still logged its best week since the financial year began 10 weeks ago.
Director Dan Knowles said: “We have had a good Easter trading period, having performed well against the competition and selling Easter stocks well.”
