Throughout 2024, Waitrose has consistently been named the UK’s most expensive supermarket by the consumer champions at Which.
This won’t come as a shock to most though, as the retailer, which has more than 329 stores in the UK, is often considered to be the go-to for middle class shoppers.
The shopping habits of the affluent will be a mystery to many, but if you’ve ever wondered what they’re filling their trolley with at Waitrose, you’re in luck, as the supermarket has just revealed its food and drink report for 2024/25.
The report sheds light on the ‘hero items’ that proved most popular with customers this year, including pickle juice and Tim Tams – some of these items might surprise you, while others will undoubtedly have you rolling your eyes.
What have Waitrose shoppers been buying this year?
In January it was all about bone broth, as celebs such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Kylie Jenner claimed to be big fans. Searches for bone broth were up 163% at waitrose.com at the start of the year.
February saw hash browns become the foodie must-have, as the #hashwich (a sandwich made using hash browns instead of bread), took TikTok by storm. Sales of hash browns like McCains’s crispy frozen ones (£2.85), increased by 24.8% year on year.
The third month of the year, March, was Tim Tam (£2.50) crazy as shoppers flocked to Waitrose to get their hands on the cult Australian chocolate bar. The treat, dubbed ‘Aussie gold’, consists of two malted biscuits coated in a layer of chocolate, with a chocolate cream filling. Searches for Tim Tams rose 202% at Waitrose.com the day after the launch.
Ottolenghi’s first ever range of own-brand spice blends and sauces was the big hitter in April, with the Pomegranate, Rose & Preserved Lemon Harissa (£5) being the bestseller, followed by the Shawarma Marinade (£4) as a close second.
Sake, an ancient Japanese rice wine, was the most-searched item in May, with searches up 241% as the retailer extended its range to include sparkling and plum options, while in June it was pickle juice that people couldn’t get enough of, thanks to England’s Euro squad.
The footballers revealed they used the stuff to combat cramp, and so many people began trying to stock up on the brine. Searches for pickle juice hit an all-time high for Waitrose online, with sales rising 7% year on year.
July’s food craze won’t surprise anyone who watched the Olympics, as it was inspired by the Muffin Man.
Norwegian distance swimmer Henrik Christiansen went viral on TikTok after claiming that double chocolate muffins were ‘the best thing’ about the Olympic Village, and shared videos of himself tucking into the ‘insane’ snack.
Waitrose customers wanted a piece of the action too and chocolate muffins sales were up 24.8% between July and August, with shoppers also keen to make them at home, with recipe searches soaring too.
In stark contrast, it was a salad that was the key trend in August – a cucumber salad, specifically – after a recipe by Logan Moffitt went viral. Cucumber sales went up 17.5% and the recipe proved so popular that farmers in Iceland struggled to keep up with the demand.
September was the month of rice pudding, as the weather turned chilly. Retro and nostalgic treats have been making a big comeback towards the end of 2024, and this classic pud was no exception. Rice pudding recipe searches rose by 66%, while spotted dick was up 800% and plum and blackberry cobbler by 150%.
The last few months of the year have also seen some interesting entries, including chocolate butter in October. Thomas Straker launched his new brand, All Things Butter, and the sweet spread is said to be perfect for putting on pancakes, toast, and waffles.
Celebrity booze brands were all the rage in November, with everything from Kylie Minogue’s wine to Margot Robbie’s Papa Salt gin proving popular with shoppers. Watrose also launched some new bottles, including Blackeye Gin from Mike Tindall, James Haskell and Alex Payne, as well as Jeremy Clarkson’s Hawkstone Lager.
And finally, December saw a supersized pastry steal the show, as the giant cinnamon knots have been garnering all the buzz at the supermarket. This comes after the retailer launched a new bakery range in October featuring cinnamon croissant cups, and apple tarte tatin turnovers.
Other popular foods this year included the crookie, hot honey, instant noodles, pistachio, peanut butter, and Bacchus wine.
In addition to the trending foods of the year, Waitrose’s report highlights that shoppers have had growing concerns around ultra-processed foods, have been keen to enjoy restaurant-quality dining at home, and suggest the traditional recipe is ‘dying out’ in favour of scratch cooking with shortcuts.
Waitrose Hero Products for 2024
January: Bone Broth
February: Hash Browns
March: Tim Tams
April: Ottolenghi x Waitrose
May: Sake
June: Pickle Juice
July: Chocolate Muffins
August: Cucumber Salad
September: Rice Pudding
October: Chocolate Butter
November: Celeb Booze Brands
December: Giant Cinnamon Knot
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