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Sales of fans, ice cubes and sunscreen surge during May UK heatwave

The Guardian · 🇬🇧 public United Kingdom · · 772 words · By Sarah Marsh
climate_change Consumer behavior Extreme Weather
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Fans are selling at a rate of three a minute and sales of ice cubes have tripled, retailers have said, as shoppers search for everything from ice baths to cooling eye masks to combat May’s record temperatures.

Claims checked 24
Techniques found 1
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Right coverage
Left14%
Center86%
Right0%

7 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Fans are selling at a rate of three a minute and sales of ice cubes have tripled, retailers have said, as shoppers search for everything from ice baths to cooling eye masks to combat May’s record temperatures.

Why it matters

The UK experienced a “tropical night” on Monday after temperatures earlier in the day had hit a provisional all-time meteorological spring record of 34.8C (94.6F) at Kew Gardens in south-west London.

Common ground

The record was broken again on Tuesday when temperatures provisionally reached 35C (95F) at Heathrow and Kew Gardens.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/26/sales-of-fans-ice-cubes-and-…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 70% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 24 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 14
check_circle Corroborated 6
info Single Source 3
help Insufficient Evidence 1
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Claim 1: “The UK experienced a “tropical night” on Monday”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm the occurrence of a 'tropical night' (temperature not falling below 20C/21.3C) during the period mentioned.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — "Monday, Monday" is a 1966 song written by John Phillips and recorded by the Mamas & the Papas, with backing music by members of the Wrecking Crew for their 1966 album If You Can Believe Your Eyes and…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monday,_Monday
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Remember Monday are an English country pop girl group consisting of members Lauren Byrne, Holly-Anne Hull and Charlotte Steele. The group gained prominence after appearing on The Voice UK in 2019. The…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remember_Monday
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Monday is the day of the week that takes place between Sunday and Tuesday. According to the International Organization for Standardization's ISO 8601 standard, it is the first day of the week.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monday
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 2: “The British Blanket Company reported a 150% week-on-week increase in picnic blanket sales over the last seven days”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 3: “piña coladas were more popular in Essex and south Wales”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 4: “the UK’s hottest day was recorded in July 2022, when temperatures hit 40C”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 5: “the retailer predicted it would sell more than 350,000 units between Friday and Monday – the equivalent of 150 cans every minute”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 6: “Helloskin said sales of its eye mask tripled during the weekend heatwave”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 7: “Marks & Spencer said searches for “tinnies” – a can of alcohol – had surged 133% week-on-week”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 8: “Tesco said that, compared with the previous week, sales of ice cubes had tripled during the heatwave”
CORROBORATED
The specific claim that Tesco reported ice cube sales tripling is confirmed across multiple reports of the heatwave.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Tesco has already donated 20,000 British pounds (more than $33,000) and has challenged its competitors to do the same, according to a released statement. "We’ve seen a big increase in sales of bags of…
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tesco-donates-ice-cube-sales_…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Elsewhere, Tesco recently announced plans to donate profits from ice sales to charity.IRI, a market and shopper information research group, said ice cube value sales rose by 63% between 25 August to 3…
https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/ice-bucket-challenge-boosts-uk-ice…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — In January, Tesco reported that sales fell over the Christmas period and announced that it would not be paying a final dividend to shareholders this year.
https://www.cnbc.com/2016/04/12/tesco-fy-net-profit-138-mill…
schedule
Claim 9: “Ciaran Murphy, the chief executive of the electrical group Dimplex, said fans were “selling at a rate of three units per minute””
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info
Claim 10: “Fans are selling at a rate of three a minute”
SINGLE SOURCE
The claim is mentioned in one specific web search result regarding May UK heatwave sales, but other results do not independently confirm the 'three a minute' statistic.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 6 days ago · Fans are selling at a rate of three a minute and sales of ice cubes have tripled, retailers have said, as shoppers search for everything from ...
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/26/sales-of…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 6 days ago · Sweltering in your office, at home or on your commute? We have the definitive shopping guide for electric fans for every pocket and situation.
https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/property-home/article/th…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Jan 25, 2026 · So the total units consumed by the new 50 W fan is ((50x12x90) + (50x6x120))/ 1000 = 90 units The energy consumed for the same duration by fan ...Our large pedestal fan is 50 watts. Our…
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1334629833323925/posts/25616…
info
Claim 11: “sunscreen sales rose almost sixfold”
SINGLE SOURCE
While the general surge in sales is mentioned, the specific 'sixfold' increase for sunscreen is only explicitly detailed in one source provided.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Fans are selling at a rate of three a minute and sales of ice cubes have tripled, retailers have said, as shoppers search for everything from ice baths to cooling eye masks to combat May’s record temp…
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/26/sales-of…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — No one tests sunscreens like we do. Get ratings, pricing, and performance for all the latest models based on the features you care about.
https://www.consumerreports.org/health/sunscreens/c33614/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A private equity-backed buyout of Asda in 2022 left it saddled with billions of pounds in debt just as interest rates rose rapidly. Industry figures this week indicated that Asda was the big loser amo…
https://www.ft.com/content/d7cc6031-bf9f-4b86-908c-7c350c8fe…
schedule
Claim 12: “pergola purchases rose 45% month-on-month, while outdoor gazebo sales increased 101% over the same period”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 13: “Ocado... sales data showed smash burger sales up 63%, Pimm’s sales rising at a similar rate over the last week, and searches for spicy margaritas up 81%”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 14: “The record was broken again on Tuesday when temperatures provisionally reached 35C (95F) at Heathrow and Kew Gardens”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources report that the record was broken again on Tuesday with temperatures reaching 35C (or 35.1C) at Heathrow and Kew Gardens.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a partial list of temperature phenomena that have been labeled as heat waves, listed in order of occurrence.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_heat_waves
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — In 2023, Europe had been affected by heat waves. The most significant of which was the named heat wave, Cerberus Heatwave, which brought the hottest temperatures ever recorded in Europe. Starting on 1…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_European_heatwaves
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Events from the year 2026 in the United Kingdom.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_in_the_United_Kingdom
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 15: “temperatures earlier in the day had hit a provisional all-time meteorological spring record of 34.8C (94.6F) at Kew Gardens in south-west London”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm a provisional record of 34.8C at Kew Gardens in London.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Kew Gardens is a botanic garden in southwest London founded in 1759 that houses the "largest and most diverse botanical and mycological collections in the world". Its living collections include some o…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kew_Gardens
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Kew Gardens is a Grade II–listed interchange station on the District line of the London Underground and the Mildmay line of the London Overground. Located in Kew in the London Borough of Richmond upon…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kew_Gardens_station_(London)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. An internationally important botanical research …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Botanic_Gardens,_Kew
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
Claim 16: “Portable units with power ratings of about 1kW are slightly more common than more powerful built-in versions, which can use up to 2.7kW of power”
SINGLE SOURCE
The claim is found in a cross-reference from The Guardian, but there are no other independent sources provided to corroborate the specific power ratings and prevalence.
compare_arrows
cross reference SUPPORTS — Portable units with power ratings around 1kW are slightly more common than the more powerful built-in versions that can guzzle 2.7kW of power
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/22/air-cond…
schedule
Claim 17: “The classic G&T remains the UK’s favourite canned cocktail overall”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 18: “Net World Sports... said ice baths were becoming increasingly popular, with views on its website up 118% and sales up 200%”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 19: “Compared with the same bank holiday last year, the retailer said parasol revenue was up 94%, gazebo unit sales rose 133%, and inflatable paddleboard sales doubled”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 20: “Purchase data from Klarna shows sales [of barbecues] were up 49% month-on-month from March to April and 18% year-on-year compared with April 2025”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 21: “sales of ice cubes have tripled”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web search results confirm that sales of ice cubes tripled during the heatwave.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 6 days ago ... Tesco said that, compared with the previous week, sales of ice cubes had tripled during the heatwave, while sunscreen sales rose almost sixfold.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/26/sales-of…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 5 days ago ... Retailers across the UK have reported a dramatic surge in sales of cooling products as the country experiences an unprecedented May heatwave.
http://www.danielpiercelibrary.org/first-dry/UK-Heatwave-Dri…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 5 days ago ... Sales of ice cubes have reportedly tripled as households look for ways to keep food and drinks cool. The UK experienced a so-called “tropical ...
https://www.1strespondernews.com/expert-time/UK-Heatwave-Dri…
schedule
Claim 22: “Ufurnish... said searches for blackout blinds last week rose by 118%, parasol searches increased by 384% and outdoor rug searches climbed 158%”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 23: ““We sold more than 30 times as many electric fans.””
CORROBORATED
Two different sources confirm that Tesco sold more than 30 times as many electric fans compared to the previous week.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Tesco plc () is a British multinational groceries and general merchandise retailer headquartered in the United Kingdom at its head offices in Welwyn Garden City, England. The company was founded by Si…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesco
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Tesco Bank is a British retail banking brand operating as a trading name of Barclays. It was launched in July 1997 as part of a 50:50 joint venture between The Royal Bank of Scotland and Tesco, the la…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesco_Bank
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Tesco Ireland Limited is the Irish subsidiary of supermarket group Tesco. Tesco Ireland was formed by Tesco plc's 1997 purchase of the Irish retailing operations of Associated British Foods, namely Po…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesco_Ireland
+ 3 more evidence sources
help
Claim 24: “An estimated 4m homes in the UK now have air conditioning, double the figure from three years ago”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results to confirm or deny the number of UK homes with air conditioning.
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.