Coronation treats: Retailers ready as consumers stock up for festivities

Retailers are reporting soaring sales of coronation-themed products as consumers put up the bunting and prepare for a weekend of street parties.

Waitrose said searches for coronation recipes on its website were up by more than 300% over the last week, with searches for ‘coronation cocktail recipe’ and ‘coronation trifle’ up by 259% and 323% respectively.

Searches for ‘Carolean celebration carrot cake’ were up 56%.

Will Torrent, senior development chef at Waitrose, said: “We’re all really looking forward to celebrating the King’s coronation this weekend and our customers are definitely feeling the same with lots of recipes on waitrose.com seeing increased searches, including the coronation pavlova tower that’s seen searches increase by 361% in the last week.”

Sinead Bell, commercial director at Co-op, said: “As millions prepare for a bank holiday weekend of royal celebrations, we are preparing for an influx of shoppers stocking-up on the food and drink essentials.

“We are expecting double the normal sales of scones, we’ve trebled our stock of clotted cream and, as we know many will want to toast our new King with a glass of fizz, we’ve made sure we have enough to go round.”

Lakeland said several of its coronation-themed lines, including tea towels and Union Jack cupcake cases and toppers, have already sold out, while sales of its London bus cake stand and plastic Champagne flutes were up 55% and 228% on last week respectively.

Meanwhile, data from Klarna shows online demand for TVs was up 40% last month compared to the same period last year, while sales of barbecues and garden furniture was up 48% and 80% on the same period 12 months ago.

Interest in decorative items, such as bunting and flags, more than trebled (320%) over the period, while bakeware was up 31%.

Boss Kate Nicholls said: “May has the potential to be a historic month for the hospitality sector, which is set for one of its busiest times in recent memory.

“We know the British public turn out in their droves for big events and we expect the coronation and Eurovision to be no different.

“Whether it’s the traditional street party to celebrate the King or a watch party in Liverpool for Eurovision, hospitality will be at the centre of both events and we anticipate this will translate to a huge uplift in sales for the sector.

“Bank holidays alone are always popular for eating and drinking out and staycations and combining this with two historic occasions is incredibly exciting for hospitality, at a time when the support of the public is absolutely essential to its survival.”

But it expects footfall in areas such as central London’s Knightsbridge to be up 4% on the same weekend last year.

Diane Wehrle, insights director at MRI Springboard, said: “Whilst the overall footfall level in central London will be lower than over the weekend just gone, in areas like Knightsbridge that are iconic in terms of the British brand but relatively distant from Westminster Abbey we are anticipating that footfall will be more resilient.”