Middle-class customers rushing to have picnics and barbecues in last week’s glorious weather boosted sales at Waitrose.

The upmarket store, owned by the John Lewis Partnership, said that takings rose 14 per cent in the week to last Saturday, with sales of sandwiches and quiche hitting record highs. The supermarket also said that sales of seasonal flowers had soared.

Waitrose shifted a record number of yoghurts and ice creams as Britain revelled in the sun.

The supermarket, in contrast to John Lewis, typically benefits from warm weather. Tony Solomons, retail director at the company, said: “Many sought to bring a bit of summer indoors.”

Like-for-like sales at Waitrose are 5.3 per cent higher for this financial year to date, which began on February 1.

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