Musgrave MarketPlace has released the results of a survey, indicating preparations and excitement among respondents about Christmas.
With Christmas lights turned on in cities, towns and villages across Ireland, the survey revealed that almost half of respondents said that they were happy to see Christmas decorations up as early as possible.
However, sentiment changed when asked about putting up decorations at home, with some 75% of people believing that you should wait until at least 1 December.
Some 51% of people said that they would enjoy turkey and ham – festive staples – up to three times before Christmas Day, with some 16% saying that it would be more than three times for them.
However, one in three people said that he/she/they would only eat traditional fayre on Christmas Day.
When it came to Christmas cocktails, the Pornstar Martini was the drink of choice, followed by a mojito.
Just over half of those surveyed at the beginning of November had started their Christmas shopping, while 54% already had a Christmas night out planned.
‘Busiest Time Of The Year’
Speaking about these findings, the director of marketing at Musgrave MarketPlace, Desi Derby, said, “It is no doubt the busiest time of the year for the hospitality and foodservice industry, and our teams across Musgrave MarketPlace are working closely with our customers as Christmas season firmly kicks off this weekend.
“Last year, we sold over 150,000 individual portions of turkey and ham, approximately 750,000 potatoes, and over 100,000 sprouts, ensuring those celebrating the festive season enjoyed typical Christmas fayre!
“When it came to a Christmas tipple, our most popular alcohol lines were dominated by beers, with Heineken, Coors Light and Guinness all in the top performers, while non-alcohol sales are up 14% on last year.”
Musgrave MarketPlace, part of the wider Musgrave Group, is the only 100% Irish-owned national foodservice, retailer and SME wholesaler, servicing over 45,000 customers across cafes, pubs, hotels, and every Michelin-starred restaurant on the island of Ireland.
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