At Waitrose, Mother's Day flowers sales were up 10 per cent compared to the equivalent week last year. Shoppers also treated their mothers to a variety of other gifts including luxury toiletry gifts and gin.
Total sales, however, excluding fuel were down 9.9 per cent compared to the same week last year. Comparisons are heavily distorted by the earlier fall of Easter last year, which means that we are comparing against Easter week in 2018.
With spring well and truly under way and the country enjoying warmer weather, sales of ice cream, ice cubes, salads and soft fruit were also up.