Trend-bucking rise in festive favourites (including almost 750,000 mince pies) at Lincolnshire retailer

Lincolnshire Co-op saw food store sales rise 7.2 per cent year-on-year for the period from December 14 to January 4, it has announced.

Despite UK sales of Christmas puddings falling 16 per cent according to market research company Kantar, the business saw sales of the traditional dessert increase by 35 per cent.

There was also growth in terms of mince pies, with sales up by 36 per cent (to a total of almost 750,000 individual mince pies).

Sales of Lincolnshire Co-op’s Love Local range, featuring goods from the business’ trading area, increased by 9.5 per cent.

More people also bought locally-sourced meat from suppliers including Grasmere Farm, Mountain’s Boston Sausage, and Uncle Henry’s and the Society’s own bakery Gadsby’s, based in Southwell, saw sales increase by 11 per cent.

Chief retail officer Mark Finn said: “We’re delighted to buck the national trend, both with the popularity of the traditional Christmas pud and with our positive sales performance.

“It’s a great achievement in a tough market. It shows that our customers appreciate our colleagues and the service they provide and the quality of our products, especially those sourced locally.”