Britain’s biggest supermarkets have had an uplift in sales because of the holy month of Ramadan, with the Islamic festival becoming the most important retail event after Christmas and Easter.
The big four supermarkets are expecting sales to increase by about £100 million over the next month as the UK’s three million Muslims embark on fasting to commemorate the first revelation of the Koran to the Prophet Muhammad.
Each evening at sundown Muslims break their fast by feasting with friends and family, often in lavishly prepared meals. The food bought is leading to a steep rise in sales of meat, rice and fruit.
Morrisons sells more than two million tons of rice and 80,000 boxes of dates during Ramadan.
“Each day’s fast is traditionally broken