C-store retailers enjoyed “fantastic” sales both in the run up to Easter Day and on Sunday itself as they took advantage of supermarkets not opening.

Nisa retailer Harj Dhasee said sales “totally surpassed expectations” in the week leading up to Easter. “Sales were £6,000 up on the previous week and we took an extra £1,500 on Easter Day, which was obviously helped by supermarkets being closed, but also people don’t like leaving the village on bank holidays as we’re near Stratford and it just gets so busy with tourists.”

He added that the buoyant Easter sales reflected the higher consumer confidence he had noticed all year, with year-on-year sales up about 10%.

Sat Deo, who owns two Costcutter stores in Yorkshire, said he had “a storming Easter”, with sales up 20% in one store and 10% in the other during Easter week. “Easter Day was as good as Christmas Eve, driven by supermarkets not opening and last minute purchases,” he added. “People were also making more of an effort this year, buying ingredients for a proper Sunday lunch etc. Everything sold well, from fruit and veg to fresh meat.”

David Heritage, of Barns Green Village Store in West Sussex, said: “We had a fantastic Easter with steady sales on Easter Sunday right up until the heavens opened at 3pm. We sold a huge amount of newspapers as the supermarkets were shut. Sales were up on last year and I think the fact that Easter was so much later this year also helped.”

All three retailers sold out of Easter Eggs. “We’d been selling Easter eggs at the point of entrance since February, so people knew they could buy from us,” Sat said. “Although they sold slowly in the build up, they’d all sold out by Saturday.”

Harj said demand for mini eggs surged after a nearby Tesco sold out of them and “people were calling us up to see if we stocked them”.

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