By Jack Mendel
The sale of barbecue food, ice-cream and inflatable pools have skyrocketed, as Brits prepare for the first BBQ weekend of the summer.
Supermarkets Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury’s have all reported huge spikes in the sale of meat, as millions will enjoy the hot weather and have the first barbecue of the summer.
This comes after the UK’s health security agency issued a warning, with five parts of the country expected to reach balmy temperatures of almost 30c, making it hotter than many places in southern Europe.
Sainsbury’s said it had seen a near 25 per cent uplift in the sale of BBQ food on this time last year , and is expecting Brits to flip a whopping 800,000 of its burgers.
Argos, which is run by Sainsbury’s, reported a 273 per cent spike in the sale of paddling pols, with searches for bigger pools up by a staggering 438 per cent.
There was also a big increase in the number of Brits looking for charcoal and sun loungers, compared to this time last year, while Argos customers are also buying fans in their droves, preparing for muggy evenings. It said there has been a 150 per cent increase in the search for the items.
Tesco, which is Britain’s biggest supermarket, said ‘flaming June’ had arrived with millions set to watch the Champions League Final on Saturday night, between Manchester City and Inter Milan, hosting parties across the land.
Tesco Outdoor Toys buyer Bryony Watson said: “Summer is only around the corner and not only has BBQ food and drink been top of shopping lists this week because of the predicted mini heatwave but also inflatable pools and other garden fun equipment.
“We’ve had very few opportunities to BBQ so far this year and after all the recent cloudy weather many shoppers will be outside making the most of it.
“Judging by the strong early demand it looks as if the wonderful smell of BBQs cooking will be wafting across UK gardens this weekend thanks to the promise of the hottest temperatures of the year so far.
It said according to early demand, Tesco is likely to sell a million packs of sausages and half-a-million burgers. It also said there would be more than 200,000 non-meat alternatives flying off the shelves in addition to a million fish.
Brits will also head to their local Tesco to pick up a millions rolls and 1.5m punnets of strawberries.
But it’s the old favourites which are still out in front, with 2.5m ice-creams and lollies, 4.5m beers and 3m bottles of wine, helping to keep everyone suitably merry as they enjoy long summer evenings.
ASDA also reported a surge in Brits buying hot-weather essentials, including a 60 per cent increase in ice-cream sales, and a prediction of a further 1.2m units passing through its tills.
Strongbow is the most popular boozy drink of choice, while ice-cubes have seen a 150 per cent increase in searches, the supermarket said.
It added there had been a near 65 per cent increase in Brits looking for paddling pools and it expects to sell more than 125,000 units of suncream, up a staggering 111 per cent from last year.
With the hot weather, hayfeaver is also set to plague millions of Brits, as Asda said there had been an 83 per cent increase in searches for that too.
Asda’s Senior Director of Food Trends and Innovation, Jonathan Moore advised cash-savvy Brits not to waste BBQs – or food being put on it – by not “being tempted to start cooking on your BBQ until the flames have died down”.
“You want to cook over the coals when they are grey in colour and don’t cook your food straight from the fridge to the BBQ, you want your food out of the fridge for 10-15 minutes before you start cooking.”
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