High street hots up as consumers seek heatwave relief

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High street hots up as consumers seek heatwave relief

Searches for fans and air conditioning up 200 per cent; increased awareness around skin cancer with 40 percent increase in searches

London, 3 July 2013 – Online searches for seasonal items such as barbecues boomed in the UK last week, accounting for one in every 1,000 internet searches, according to the latest analysis from Experian using its online competitive intelligence tool, Experian Hitwise

Seasonal products with the biggest increase in searches in the last week include: 

  • Barbecues – up 40%
  • Garden Furniture – up 65%
  • Ice cream – up 43%
  • Ice cream makers – up 96%
  • Sun cream – up 118%yson fans – up 236%
    Air conditioning – up 200%
    Sunglasses – up 44%

With UK consumers looking more towards leisure activities during the hot weather, searches for lawn mowers were down 25 per cent during the same period.

James Murray, Digital Insight Manager, Experian Marketing Services commented: “With June’s ONS figures highlighting an increase in retail sales on both a monthly and yearly front, retailers should be making the most of the hot weather to continue to drive this growth. Retailers need to adapt their offerings in line with this market boom.”

Search analysis for week ending 13th July 2013 also found a 40 per cent increase in searches for skin cancer. James Murray added: “We often see this increase in tandem with hot weather as people become concerned about over-exposure to the sun – retailers who provide awareness and advice alongside a relevant product are in a good position to help these consumers.”

The latest national retail traffic report from Experian FootFall also shows a 2.1 per cent week on week increase in shopper traffic, with a decline of 8 per cent year on year as the hot weather continues.

Steve Richardson, Regional Director UK&I at Experian Footfall commented: “As the hot weather continues, the high street should look to offer more to provide relief – capitalising on food and beverage offerings, as well as campaigns around holiday preparations to ensure the continued growth that the ONS figures highlight.”

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Contact:

Alexandra Banks
PR Manager, Marketing Services UK&I
Tel: 07966 102 823
Email: alexandra.banks@uk.experian.com

About Experian Marketing Services
Experian Marketing Services is a global provider of integrated consumer insight, data quality and cross-channel marketing. We help organisations from around the world intelligently interact with today’s dynamic, empowered and hyper connected customers. By coordinating seamless interactions across all marketing channels, marketers are able to plan and execute superior brand experiences that deepen customer loyalty, strengthen brand advocacy and maximise profits.

For more information, please visit http://www.experian.co.uk/marketing-services/digital.html

About Experian
Experian is the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to clients around the world. The Group helps businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. Experian also helps individuals to check their credit report and credit score, and protect against identity theft.

Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended 31 March 2013 was US$4.7 billion. Experian employs approximately 17,000 people in 40 countries and has its corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; California, US; and São Paulo, Brazil.

For more information, visit http://www.experianplc.com

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