Online searches for dog ice cream have soared as UK heatwaves boost online shopping sales.
Ocado Retail told The Grocer that searches for pooch ice cream on its website were up 833% year on year for June, a month which saw daytime and overnight temperatures in England and Wales reach record highs.
According to latest NIQ figures, online fmcg sales increased by 9.3% in the four weeks to mid-June versus the previous four-week period, making online the fastest-growing channel of the year. That’s compared to an increase of total till sales at UK supermarkets of 4.6%.
“This was aided by the rise of rapid delivery, which also benefited from the hottest day of the year so far,” NIQ said, with quick commerce services reaching 12.8% share of online sales in mid-May, its highest share to date.
According to British Retail Consortium-Sensormatic data, retail footfall fell by 3.4% in June year on year, “as the record heatwave kept many shoppers indoors”.
“High streets saw the sharpest declines, while air-conditioned shopping centres and retail parks proved more resilient,” said Helen Dickinson, BRC chief executive.
At the same time, data from the BRC-KPMG retail sales monitor showed online non-food sales increased by 5.1% year on year in June, against a growth of 2.3% in June 2025, while in-store non-food sales decreased by 1.1% year on year in June, against a growth of 2.2% in June 2025.
“While in-store sales were stifled by soaring temperatures, the proportion of sales online was the highest of 2026, bolstered by well-timed promotions,” Dickinson said.
At Ocado, searches for gazpacho were up 97% month on month, picky bits 97%, ice cream 29%, and watermelon 29%. Website searches for chilled red wine soared 1,020% year on year.
“Our unique, online-only model gives consumers access to an unrivalled range, and our data tells a clear story about what shoppers are looking for in this record breaking hot weather – great value, new and interesting flavours, and above all food that doesn’t require standing next to a hot oven,” George Dean, chief commercial officer at Ocado Retail told The Grocer.
In response to the heatwave, according to Barclays Consumer Spend research, 38% of consumers said they purchased cold food and drink items in June, while 30% invested in fans or cooling devices, with spending on electronics up 2.7%.
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