Every year, the same thing happens. A heatwave is forecast, temperatures soar, and consumers rush to the shops or online to get their hands on summer essentials. Most of these products have been gathering dust on shelves or warehouse racks all year long. Suddenly, they’re selling out in hours. Paddling pools, air con units, fans, sun cream, iced coffee, BBQs, garden furniture, and even hair removal kits become hot property.

So why do some brands get left behind while others enjoy record-breaking sales?

The power of being top of mind

Most brands know that weather affects consumer behaviour. But the real question is: are they acting on it early enough?

Take fans, for instance. Google Trends data typically shows a spike in searches the moment a heatwave hits. At that point, it’s too late to influence behaviour – shoppers are searching for any available option, not a particular brand. And so if you’re not already top of mind, you won’t be in the running.

This is where forward planning and effective brand tracking makes all the difference. Brands that succeed in a heatwave don’t just react to hot weather – they warm up the market and track their position in advance.

Products that fly off the shelves

It’s not just the obvious items like ice lollies or sunscreen that sell out. Every heatwave pushes up the sales of a whole range of categories, many of which are not low value items:

• Pet cooling mats and treats: These niche products explode in popularity each summer, and brands that partner with retailers or pet influencers ahead of time often see significant gains.
• Cold brew and iced coffee concentrates: Grind and Starbucks at Home have both pushed ahead in this space, making their chilled ranges easy to find and sample before the temperature spikes.
• Garden shade and parasols: Often overlooked most of the year, these tend to get snapped up during the first BBQ weekend. B&Q has been running content for weeks now promoting their different garden furniture and shade options, ahead of the heat.
• Portable aircon units and fans: with the average British home designed to keep heat in rather than out, the summer heat can feel unbearable without a portable aircon unit or a freestanding fan. What once seemed unnecessary, suddenly becomes essential.

Who’s doing it well?

One great example is Aldi. Known for its fast-moving Specialbuys, the retailer now regularly times its “summer essentials” aisle to align with the forecast. Fans, mini fridges and gazebos drop into stores just as the first 25°C+ weekend appears on the horizon. This results in queues out the door and rapid sales. Crucially, Aldi also builds anticipation via email, social teasers and app notifications before the sun even shines.

Another is Dulux. While not a brand you’d associate with heatwaves, it tends to capitalise on the summer DIY trend by launching limited-time outdoor paint promotions with weather-themed creative. It’s a smart move – linking their offer to when people are most likely to refresh fences or decking, driven by a stretch of dry days.

How brands can get ahead

If you want your product to be the one people grab first when the sun comes out, you need to build that association before the heat arrives. Here’s how:

• Leverage weather-triggered ads: Tools like Google’s weather-based targeting or programmatic platforms let you schedule campaigns that ramp up as temperatures rise. In 2022, Magnum famously ran a one-day campaign on the hottest day in Britain’s history, with an advert of a melted ice cream
• Use search data to spot patterns: Review previous years to see when your product category sees a spike. Build campaigns and stock levels to match.
• Prime your audience: Seed content, reviews, or influencer partnerships a few weeks before peak demand. People remember what they’ve seen recently, especially if it’s entertaining or useful.
• Track your brand and competitors: Use brand tracking tools to understand how your brand is perceived by its target audience well before the heat hits. Most consumers can only recall three to five brands per category without being prompted, so identifying and improving your position is key to being top of mind when demand surges.

In the UK, hot weather might be rare, but consumer behaviour during it is fairly predictable. The question isn’t if people will rush to buy summer staples – it’s who they’ll buy from. Brands that make themselves visible before the heat hits are the ones that will win the rush.

Interested in learning more? Send us a message today to find out how we can help you to track and optimise your brand’s position.