LOCAL RETAILER SEES SALES SOAR DURING JANUARY COLD SNAP

Sales soared in convenience stores across Coventry, Warwickshire, south Leicestershire and Northamptonshire as people filled their cupboards during the prolonged cold snap.

The news comes from the region’s largest independent retailer, the Heart of England Co-operative Society, which operates a network of 33 Foodcentres and Lateshops.

Year on year sales showed a rise of 18 per cent across the region during the week commencing January 4th.

Peter Fletcher, General Manager of the Society’s Food Division, said the majority of custom had come from the Society’s village stores as people looked to their local shop for food, rather than venturing out into town centres.

He said: “Normally we would record rises of about five per cent. To see a rise of 18 per cent is astonishing. It is definitely down to the weather.

“Individually, our stores are reporting year on year rises of anywhere between 19 per cent to 64 per cent. In weather like this people look to their nearest stores to stock up for the cold weather. Essentials such as bread and milk have been flying off the shelves. In fact bakeries nationally have struggled to keep up with demand.”

The Southam Lateshop sales rose by 49 per cent, while the Balsall Common Foodcentre rose by 31 per cent.

Other stores showing significant increases over the week included Meriden Lateshop (26 per cent), Fenny Compton Lateshop (26 per cent) and Harbury Lateshop (30 per cent).

Mr Fletcher said the unusually prolonged cold snap helped highlight the importance and the necessity of the local retailer.