Hot Weather Sparks Supermarket Surge
- Grocery sales increased by 2.2% in the last four weeks due to late August bank holiday heatwave
- UK faced a wet start to summer, but hot weather boosted sales
- Shoppers spent £193m more than previous year
- Discounters and high street value retailers saw nearly half of increased spend
- Soft drinks sales up by 5.1%
- Frozen foods and beer, wine & spirits categories saw a 4.1% increase each
- Barbeque equipment sales up 127%
- Suncare sales up 26%, ice cream sales up 17%
- Pre-mixed alcoholic drinks sales increased by 32%
- Co-op and Sainsbury’s saw growth, while top four retailers’ market share dropped
- M&S food halls attracting more shoppers with new marketing campaigns
The late August bank holiday heatwave led to a significant increase in grocery sales, with total supermarket sales rising by 2.2% in the last four weeks according to Nielsen’s Total Till figures for September 2019. The UK experienced a wet start to summer, but the unusually hot weather over the long Bank Holiday weekend resulted in increased spending on items such as soft drinks (up 5.1%), frozen foods and beer, wine & spirits (both up 4.1%), barbeque equipment (up 127%), suncare products (up 26%) and ice cream (up 17%). Discount stores and high street value retailers saw nearly half of the increased spend. Nielsen reports that despite strong sales in these categories, there were mixed fortunes for top four retailers – Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, and Tesco – who all experienced a drop in market share. The Co-op and Sainsbury’s saw growth, while M&S food halls attracted over 370k new shoppers with new marketing campaigns.
Factuality Level: 8
Factuality Justification: The article provides accurate information about the increase in supermarket sales during the heatwave and the specific categories that benefited from it, as well as mentioning the performance of different retailers. It also includes relevant quotes from an expert source. However, it could provide more context on the overall market trends and a broader analysis of the data.
Noise Level: 2
Noise Justification: The article provides relevant information about the impact of weather on supermarket sales and specific product categories, as well as insights into the performance of different retailers. It stays focused on the topic and supports its claims with data. However, it could benefit from more analysis or contextualization of these trends in a broader economic or consumer behavior perspective.
Financial Relevance: Yes
Financial Markets Impacted: Supermarkets and retailers
Financial Rating Justification: The article discusses the impact of weather on supermarket sales, which can affect the financial performance of these companies and their stocks.
Presence Of Extreme Event: No
Nature Of Extreme Event: No
Impact Rating Of The Extreme Event: No
Extreme Rating Justification: No extreme event mentioned in the article
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