Aldi has disclosed that shoppers have been stocking up on barbecue staples, beer, and ice cream to cope with the record-breaking 40C heatwave gripping the UK. Sales of Smash Burgers and Quarter Pounders surged 80% compared to the same week last year, while over 80,000 packs of hotdogs were sold. Beer sales jumped 34% in the 24 hours before the England vs Ghana match, with expectations of even higher sales ahead of the Three Lions' match against Panama.
Ice cream sales triple as temperatures soar
Ice cream sales skyrocketed by 144% week-on-week, with more than 2.5 million units sold between Monday and Wednesday alone. Julie Ashfield, Chief Commercial Officer at Aldi UK, said: "When the sun shines in the UK, we absolutely make the most of it. With soaring temperatures coinciding with the football, shoppers filled their baskets with items designed to bring people together. Brits’ sociable spirit remains strong, with more people choosing to host at home and finding smarter ways to entertain."
Birmingham remains under amber heat warning
Birmingham remains under an amber heat warning today (June 26), with temperatures expected to reach 34C by 1pm. The Met Office warned: "Very hot weather will continue to affect much of England. Temperatures by day are widely expected to exceed 30 Celsius, with the hottest areas potentially peaking around 38 Celsius in eastern and central England." Overnight temperatures are unlikely to fall below the high teens Celsius, with some places not dropping below the low 20s Celsius. High humidity will accompany the heat.
Cooler conditions expected from the west
The Met Office added that cooler conditions will slowly begin to establish from the west after the heatwave, although very warm conditions are likely to persist across eastern and southeastern England through Saturday, albeit not as hot as earlier in the week. For today, the forecast is for a dry and bright start in very light winds, climbing to another very hot day with extreme heat warnings in place. Saturday will see temperatures slightly down, with a maximum of 29C.
