Wine online jumps 238% at Waitrose

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 20 August, 2020

Waitrose had reported a significant boost to its online wine sales as consumers take advantage of a “wider selection” of wine online during lockdown.

According to the retailer, Waitrose Cellar orders have increased by 238% since the start of the pandemic, with rosé sales leading the way, up 250% year-on-year. Mixed case wine sales have similarly doubled, while spirit sales have tripled as customers turned to cocktail making at home.

The sales uplift was released as part of a wider report from Waitrose on the uptick of online shopping among the British public this week. The report also delves into the reasons behind the boost.

Of the people surveyed, 17% have been buying more wine online during lockdown. Of those, nearly a quarter say this is due to there being a wider selection of wine online, in comparison to in store. Just over a fifth (22%) like the fact they don’t have to carry the wine themselves.

The report also found that 77% of Brits now do at least some of their grocery shopping online, compared to 61% a year ago.

Jamie Matthewson, buying manager for wine, said: “Customers have turned to ordering wine online during the pandemic for various reasons, but the convenience of delivery in lockdown is understandably high on the list. We have seen huge trends for home mixology, with people experimenting with liqueurs and apéritifs while bars and pubs were shut. And the popularity of rosé has known no bounds this summer, with more people than ever before choosing to drink pink while enjoying the sunshine.”

Waitrose Cellar is known for its range of wine and spirits which majors on exclusive brands and blends such as the On the QT range of limited-edition labels.

Waitrose Cellar’s master of wine is Xenia Ruscombe-King.

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