A temperatures soar, supermarkets have reported a huge leap in sales of electric fans, ice cream, paddling pools and burgers. Thanks to the heatwave, Waitrose has had its biggest week for ice creams with sales up 36% year on year, while John Lewis’s sales of fans and air conditioning units are up 709% year on year.
Barbecues appear to be the order of the day with Asda selling at least 4.5 million sausages and 1.4 million burgers last week, while charcoal sales increased by 400%. Meanwhile, demand for ready-to-drink spirits in Asda were up 72% compared to an average week, where sales of fans increased by 1,300%, reports WalesOnline.
The supermarket giant also revealed paddling pool sales increased by 1,000% compared to the same time the previous week. Waitrose said sales of premium ice cream are up 45% year-on-year.
Read more: Morrisons offering shoppers free refills on drinks to beat the heat
Joe Sharkey, ice cream buyer for Waitrose, said: "Our ice creams and lollies are continuing to fly off the shelves, as our customers are looking for ways to keep cool. We’ve had our biggest week of ice cream sales ever last week, with sales up by 36% compared to last year – and we’ve still got good availability to help customers beat the heat."
Hotel Chocolat co-founder and chief executive Angus Thirlwell told the PA news agency that online chocolate deliveries are suspended. He said: "It's not great weather for a chocolate maker."
Mr Thirwell added: "It's typical to suspend chocolate deliveries within the online business when there's excessive heat. There's no point in sending them if they’re just going to melt." According to the Met Office, the entire stock of a Liverpool chocolate factory melted during a hot spell in August 1990.
The increased heat has not impacted on berry production too negatively, with growers able to meet the demand. Nick Marston, chairman of British Berry Growers, said: “Generally, yields will be a bit lower as berries ripen faster and don’t quite make the same size as if the berries were left to grow longer. However, the fast ripening creates a flush of crop which, if the good weather is maintained for a few days, which it has, then this meets an increased consumer demand.
“Usually, if the sun is shining then we see more Brits buying berries, outdoor entertaining, summer desserts etc, are all good berry buying occasions.”
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