Supermarkets braced for Mayhem Monday

Supermarket aisles will be at peak congestion on Monday, December 22, with 36 per cent of consumers planning to do their main Christmas grocery shop on this date.

A survey says 35 per cent will do their festive food shop the day after.

It is set to be another multi-million ordeal for the staff of the UK's supermarkets and shops.

Manic Monday, on December 1, saw £666 million spent online, with £810 million shelled out in the frenzy of Black Friday – December 5 – and £720 million on Cyber Monday on December 8. Black Friday was also the biggest online shopping day of 2014 with sales on internet shopping sites up 60 per cent.

According to a survey by BBC Good Food magazine and website, the average consumer will make four shopping trips to stock up for Christmas and 43 per cent are more likely to use local or independent retailers.

Some 80 per cent are more likely to buy luxury food, the poll found, and consumers are far more likely to shop at Waitrose, up from 71 per cent during the rest of the year to 90 per cent at Christmas, and Marks & Spencer, up from 52 to 93 per cent.

More than a third (39 per cent) say they are frazzled by the time the main meal is finally served, and three per cent say they are too stressed or exhausted to enjoy it.

BBC Good Food editor Gillian Carter said: "Just as Black Friday and Manic Monday saw record numbers buy gifts, we have identified Mayhem Monday, December 22 as the peak day for food shopping.

"Our food behaviour radically changes in the run up to Christmas. We are more likely to visit independent shops, less likely to shop online and more likely to plan ahead."

Meanwhile, Laithwaite's has identified today, December 15, as the busiest wine-buying day of the year.

The wine merchant said it expects to ship 120,000 cases – or 1.44 million bottles – over the course of the week.

It predicts prosecco will comfortably outsell Champagne again this Christmas, while consumers return to Old World wines from France, Spain and Italy for festive entertaining.

Laithwaite's UK managing director, David Thatcher, said: "Monday, December 15 is the most popular date to buy wine as many of us return to work for our final full week before the Christmas break.

"We have a good picture of the nation's habits and Prosecco is already outselling Champagne this year."