Britons stock up on fans, ice cream and silk scarves as intense heat grips country

Britons stock up on fans, ice cream and silk scarves as intense heat grips country Retailers are reporting soaring sales for a raft of summer essentials - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments British shoppers are stocking up on fans, ice and silk scarves as extreme heat drives a significant surge in retail sales. Electronics retailer Currys reported searches for fans soaring by almost 1,500 per cent compared to last weekend, with air conditioning product searches up 3,500 per cent. “We’ve seen huge demand for fans and air conditioning units ahead of this week’s heatwave, with sales of fans up nearly 3,000 per cent compared with last week, while air conditioning sales were up by 330 per cent,” a spokesperson said. “The good news is that we have great availability of brands including Dyson, Shark and many more.” Homeware specialist Lakeland said that electric fan sales were up by over 100 per cent, with cool bags jumping 262 per cent and some ice cream maker lines increasing over 500 per cent. John Lewis observed a 557 per cent surge in pizza oven sales, with “silk scarf” searches on its website climbing by 200 per cent. Supermarket giant Tesco anticipates a 60 per cent increase in ice sales, a 48 per cent rise in ice cream and lolly sales, and a 44 per cent spike in barbecue meat sales as consumers prepare for outdoor dining. The widespread purchasing spree underscores how Britons are adapting to intense summer temperatures. A Tesco spokesperson said: “With temperatures soaring across the country this week, combined with people watching the football, we’re forecasting a large increase in sales of ice cream and lollies, ice and barbecue meat. “Encouragingly, we are also expecting an over 72 per cent increase in sales of sun cream this week compared to last week as Brits look to protect their skin from the sun.” Aldi, which has re-stocked its shelves with its previously sold-out collapsible pet pool and freezable chew toys, is also predicting it will sell one million burgers this week – a 50 per cent jump on last week. It is also preparing for a 30 per cent surge in beer sales and to sell more than 500,000 bottles of its Lacura Sun Cream – an 80 per cent week-on-week increase. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments