Convenience store retailers are reporting a successful weekend of Easter trading, with sales of chocolate eggs particularly buoyant.

Julian Taylor Green, of Spar Lindford in Hampshire, said: “We sold out of Easter Eggs, which is unheard for us. We marginally increased stock on last year, but we stayed more mainstream in terms of our range of Eggs.

“We installed a wooden promotional stand which shouted about the range rather than offers, but we didn’t do anything much different to any other year.”

Sales on Easter Day were high across the board, despite having sold out of Easter Eggs. Barbecue products sold especially well, and basket spend was up to over £7, he added.

Jai Singh, owner of a Go Local Extra store in Sheffield, said he also sold all his Easter Eggs. “Confectionery and alcohol sold really well too. People are spending more at Easter now and making more of an event of it,” he added. “Next year I’ll increase the fresh range to cater more for home cooking, and I’ll also stock more of a gifting range, such as balloons and cards.”

Barrie Seymour, of Londis, Liversedge in West Yorkshire, said the Easter weekend “went better than I thought”.

“We’ve had a tough start to the year, but we cleared out the Easter Eggs on Sunday – we didn’t have to discount them as the big stores were closed. We were lucky to get deliveries on Friday night and on Monday too,” he said.

“Hopefully next year we’ll get the same benefits as Tesco stores!”

Susan Connolly, of Connolly’s Spar in Wiltshire, said sales across their four stores were up 9.8% on the previous year.

Topics