Supermarket group Waitrose managed an 8.7% sales advance last week, when sales of seasonal goods took off.

Demand for mulled wine and mistletoe pushed sales of each up by 46% and 240% respectively and spirits were ahead 17%.

One of the biggest risers of the week was the retailer’s four-pig roast, sales of which leaped 156%. Non-food categories also did well – sales of luxury toiletries climbed more than 25% “as bathrooms were lavished with plush handwashes and creams for visitors to enjoy”.

Waitrose personnel director Rob Collins said: “A huge amount of hard work is going into achieving these impressive results. We look really well placed for our all-important run into Christmas next week as a result.”