Sales of gourds at Waitrose are up by a frightening 260 per cent as shoppers turn to the seasonal vegetable for Halloween decorations.
The unprecedented popularity for gourds this year has meant Waitrose has orders of the gnarly veg, the retailer said.
While mainly bought for their decorative appeal, gourds can also be baked or made into soups.
'It’s no longer enough to have a lonely pumpkin on the doorstep,” said Waitrose horticultural buyer, Samantha Brett. “Our customers have been inspired by doorstep displays from the US and want to replicate their seasonal showstopping arrangements.
“This is not just restricted to the doorstep – shoppers are bringing the outside in and decorating the inside of their homes too with colourful gourds, pumpkins and other seasonal produce – not just for a one day Halloween wonder but for an extended autumnal celebration too.'
Waitrose gourds are priced £1 each and are available in a variety of autumnal colours.
Gourds are part of the cucurbit family, which includes pumpkins, watermelons, butternut squash and cucumbers.
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