Sales of fans, ice cubes, and sunscreen have surged during May's record-breaking heatwave in the UK, with retailers reporting unprecedented demand for cooling products. Tesco said sales of ice cubes tripled compared to the previous week, while sunscreen sales rose nearly sixfold. A spokesperson added that electric fan sales increased more than 30 times.
The UK experienced a provisional all-time meteorological spring record of 34.8°C at Kew Gardens on Monday, followed by 35°C at Heathrow and Kew Gardens on Tuesday. The heat has driven shoppers to seek relief through items such as ice baths, cooling eye masks, and outdoor shade solutions.
Dimplex chief executive Ciaran Murphy reported fans were selling at a rate of three per minute, exceeding initial forecasts. He noted consumers are becoming more proactive in preparing homes for hotter temperatures, investing in cooling solutions earlier in the season. An estimated 4 million UK homes now have air conditioning, double the figure from three years ago, driven by more people working from home and rising summer temperatures.
Households are also swapping heavy bedding for low-tog summer duvets and installing blackout blinds. Ufurnish reported a 118% increase in searches for blackout blinds, a 384% rise for parasols, and a 158% climb for outdoor rugs. Barbecue sales are surging, with Klarna data showing a 49% month-on-month increase from March to April and an 18% year-on-year rise.
Ocado noted smash burger sales up 63% and Pimm's sales rising similarly, while Marks & Spencer reported a 133% week-on-week surge in searches for canned alcohol. Net World Sports saw ice bath views up 118% and sales up 200%, with a spokesperson noting a crossover from elite athletes to mainstream consumers using cold-water therapy to cope with the heat.
