Mince pies are to be sold all year-round at Marks and Spencer, the company have confirmed.
The retailer said it is planning to keep the festive treats on shelves throughout the year, instead of just the usual run-up to Christmas, following a surge in sales and growing customer demand.
Nicola Brown, M&S Mince Pie Buyer, said: “Our customers don’t wait just for Christmas Day. They have become such a popular treat we are actually thinking about selling them all year round.”
Last year M&S sold some 12m pies between the end of August and December – over a third of its total stock. This year the retailer estimates pre-Xmas sales of the savoury snack will exceed 40m.
The retailer said that because of their short shelf life, many customers were buying mince pies to eat as a weekly snack rather than saving them for the festive season.
Traditional mince pies contain mincemeat made from vine fruits and vegetable suet, but supermarket shoppers can also pick up new variations including puff pastry, all-butter, and chocolate mince pies .
