The British Retail Consortium has teamed up with the Met Office to launch a weather analysis tool for retailers.
The BRC said supermarkets could use the scheme to improve availability of products where demand was very weather dependent.
According to the BRC, prior knowledge of a warm Easter boosted Safeway’s sales by £2m last year.
Retailers can access three levels of service, depending on their budgets, so even smaller retailers can benefit. At bronze level, retailers can access five day forecasts. Silver level offers 10-day and monthly forecasts, plus a personalised assessment of the potential impact of the weather on subscribers.
Gold service allows retailers to use long range forecasts and online planning tools. BRC members receive discounts on the different packages.
Met Office retail manager Richard Bennett said: “In an increasingly competitive business environment, an understanding of weather and its effects will become more and more crucial.”
The BRC said supermarkets could use the scheme to improve availability of products where demand was very weather dependent.
According to the BRC, prior knowledge of a warm Easter boosted Safeway’s sales by £2m last year.
Retailers can access three levels of service, depending on their budgets, so even smaller retailers can benefit. At bronze level, retailers can access five day forecasts. Silver level offers 10-day and monthly forecasts, plus a personalised assessment of the potential impact of the weather on subscribers.
Gold service allows retailers to use long range forecasts and online planning tools. BRC members receive discounts on the different packages.
Met Office retail manager Richard Bennett said: “In an increasingly competitive business environment, an understanding of weather and its effects will become more and more crucial.”
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