Latest figures from upmarket UK grocer Waitrose for the week to 7 July have suggested that homegrown tennis star Andy Murray's progression to the final of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London helped the strawberry segment rise up the rankings too.
According to the retailer, Murray's performance – he was the first British man to reach the final in 74 years – had contributed to a notable 6.1 per cent increase in strawberry sales compared with the same week of last year.
Waitrose finance director Tom Athron said it had been 'a strong week despite the unseasonable weather', underlining the importance of Murray's success in boosting sales during what has otherwise been a dreary, rain-sodden summer so far in the UK.
The retailer also revealed that shoppers in the country have continued to turn to food more commonly associated with the winter.
For example, during the same week, it recorded a 19 per cent increase in vegetable sales compared with the same time last year, with leeks and cabbage selling particularly well.
