Heatwave and World Cup boost UK spending as online sales soar in June

The scorching temperatures in June had many of us swapping shopping trips for online orders, with electric fans, paddling pools and air conditioning units becoming some of the month's must-have buys.

Online shopping had a particularly strong month in June as shoppers stayed indoors to escape the heat. Total retail sales across the UK rose by 1.9% compared with the same time last year, helped by a 5.1% increase in online sales of non-food products, according to the latest British Retail Consortium (BRC)-KPMG data.

Meanwhile, non-food sales in physical stores fell by 1.1% year on year, sitting below the 12-month average growth of 0.1%, highlighting just how much the heatwave kept shoppers away from the high street.

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: "Retail sales maintained momentum despite June's heatwave. While in-store sales were stifled by soaring temperatures, the proportion of sales online was the highest of 2026, bolstered by well-timed promotions. Electric fans and paddling pools performed well, as people looked to cool off, while the lure of the sunshine meant that gaming and big-ticket sales struggled."

It wasn't just the weather driving spending habits. The men's football World Cup also encouraged households to stock up on food, drinks and home entertainment as friends and family gathered to watch the matches together.

Linda Ellett, UK head of consumer, retail and leisure markets at KPMG, said: "Record-breaking temperatures continued from May into June. Demand for fans and air conditioning units helped drive home appliance sales, with some retailers struggling to restock fast enough, while the men's football World Cup also brought a boost for home electrical sales and food and drink."

Separate figures from Barclays also showed consumer card spending increased by 1.9% in June, with spending on non-essential purchases rising as warmer weather, improving confidence and the arrival of the World Cup encouraged people to treat themselves.

Pubs were among the biggest winners during the tournament, with England match days bringing packed venues and a huge rise in food and drink sales thanks to extended opening hours and fans watching the games together.

Jack Meaning, chief UK economist at Barclays, said: "While additional spending around the World Cup will be a welcome cushion for the hospitality sector, it remains true that the economy has slowed into the middle of the year.

"Looking ahead to the second half of 2026, we expect growth to pick up modestly, as improving consumer sentiment and reduced uncertainty are partially offset by the temporary inflation bump."

While the sunshine may have encouraged many households to splash out on cooling gadgets, garden essentials and football nights in, experts say those extra purchases can quickly add up.

Sarah-Jane Outten, a money-saving expert at MyVoucherCodes, said: "We're used to worrying about the 'heating tax' in the winter, but these figures show that summer is becoming just as expensive for British families. Slipping into extra spending just to stay comfortable or keep the kids entertained during a sudden heatwave is putting an unexpected dent in household budgets."

Natalie Dixon is our Lifestyle reporter, if you liked this article and want to read more about fashion, beauty and lifestyle you can follow Natalie Dixon on X here

^{This article was produced with the support of AI tools to assist in sourcing and structuring information. All content has been reviewed, verified and completed by a journalist prior to publication.}