Royal wedding celebrations have driven a surge in sales of cakes and home-baking supplies.

With manufacturers producing a host of special-edition lines to mark the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle, supermarket cake sales were 9.3% higher in the week of the marriage than they had been the previous week [IRI Retail Advantage w/e 19 May 2018].

Launches ahead of the wedding included Mr Kipling Bridal Fancies, Gü Lemon & Elderflower Cheesecakes, and own-label cakes inspired by the couple’s wedding cake. For more on the NPD, see our galleries here and here.

It seems the wedding also inspired Britain’s home-bakers. Although sales in the baking goods category were down 1.6% year-on-year, they were up 5.6% compared to the previous week. Sales of dried fruit and flour were up marginally, but sugar and sweeteners rose 5.8%.

Consumers also marked the celebration with a glass of bubbly or two, with sales of sparkling wine up 12.5% over the previous week and up 36.6% year on year. In contrast, beer & cider and still wine sales dipped 3%.

“It’s no surprise that UK consumers splashed out on sparkling wine and cakes during arguably the biggest party of the year,” said IRI commercial and strategy director – grocery, health and beauty Tim Dummer.

“The combination of a special celebration, beautiful weather and an increase in visitor numbers to the UK saw supermarkets’ tills ringing.”

IRI’s data covered the following retailers: Tesco, Waitrose, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Asda, Iceland, Co-Op, Ocado and Sainsbury’s.