How much money have the UK shoppers spent on Christmas cakes, puddings and confectionery

 
Sweet-toothed UK shoppers have spent GBP 219m on Christmas cakes, puddings and confectionery in Christmas fortnight, with 8.3 per cent more than in 2014, according to the latest retail data from global research company IRI. 

Supermarket FMCG sales reached GBP3.1 billion during a busy Christmas week (ending 26 December), an increase of 7.4 per cent in value compared with 2014. Food sales totalled GBP2.3 billion (+8.8per cent) while non-food sales reached GBP789 million (+3.8per cent).

Figures from IRI’s Retail Advantage, which measures sales from major UK grocery multiples, had already revealed that sales had been slow over the first two weeks in December (ending 12th), with shoppers spending -1.6per cent less in supermarkets than they did in 2014. But a bounce-back in the two week period ending 26 December saw overall FMCG sales surpass the previous year’s by 1.1per cent, with food up 1.6per cent.
Within the food sector it was the Christmas Cakes, Pies, Puddings and Confectionery categories that saw the biggest surge in sales, after a slow start in the two weeks ending 12 December. Across the fortnight ending 26 December, sales of Christmas cakes and puddings were up 6.3 per cent and Christmas confectionery up 8.8 per cent. Christmas confectionery sales alone were up a massive 19 per cent in Christmas week itself, reaching GBP119.8m.
“There was an extra peak shopping day in Christmas week 2015 compared with last year which helped push up the final week’s sales figures, but the level of growth does provide some good news for supermarkets,” commented Martin Wood, IRI’s Head of Strategic Insight, Retail Solutions & Innovation.
“It shows people are feeling better off at last as wages rise and fuel prices come down, and also that shoppers have not completely abandoned mainstream retailers for the discounters. Competition with discounters has driven down prices, however, keeping value and revenues down even when volumes are up. The increase in sales of Christmas cakes, puddings and confectionery could be due to the ‘Bake-off effect’ giving people a taste for sweet things once again. They want to feature high quality cakes and desserts as centrepieces of their Christmas meal or party spread, but don’t have time to create these themselves. Premium Christmas confectionery also sold particularly well,” Martin Wood added.