Heatwave in Germany: Retailers Report Record Demand for Fans, Air Conditioners and Mineral Water

Mail-Order and Electronics Retailers at Their Limits

DIY stores Obi and Bauhaus, as well as the sector association BHB, likewise report strong demand for portable air conditioners, fans and children's paddling pools. In individual product categories, limited availability may temporarily occur due to high demand, says a Bauhaus spokesperson. Obi is also registering growing interest in garden products. "Gerade durch die warmen Temperaturen spüren wir deutlich, dass die Menschen ihre Außenbereiche schön machen wollen", says a spokesperson.

Consumers must brace themselves for longer waiting times for the installation of air-conditioning systems. "Kunden sollten beim Einbau deshalb mit einer Wartezeit von im Schnitt zehn Wochen rechnen", the German Association of Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Specialists (Verband Deutscher Kälte-Klima-Fachbetriebe) says. Order books are well filled. There are no material bottlenecks or supply difficulties so far — the bottleneck is the capacity of specialist firms. During high outdoor temperatures, these firms are heavily utilised not only because of installing new devices but also because existing systems need to be serviced more frequently. The association advises having installations carried out in the winter months.

Ten Weeks' Wait for Air-Conditioning Systems

Increased production is also emerging for mineral water. "Die Abfüllanlagen laufen vielerorts im Mehrschichtbetrieb und auf Hochtouren", says a spokesperson for the Association of German Mineral Springs (Verband Deutscher Mineralbrunnen). The biggest challenge is functioning logistics — in particular, the speedy return of empty bottles so that enough bottles are available for filling. Bottlenecks are not expected for mineral water; demand peaks in the summer months are normal seasonal business. At most, individual varieties may be temporarily out of stock.

In food retail, non-alcoholic beverages — mineral water in particular — as well as fruit such as melons, vegetables and ice are currently highly popular. Edeka cites berries, cherries and peaches, as well as barbecue items and matching side dishes. At Kaufland, frozen fruits and fermented beverages such as kombucha are also high on shoppers' lists. Rewe reports strong demand for dairy products and salads. Lidl is registering high demand for sun protection products, air conditioners and water-sports equipment.

Food Retail: Ice, Fruit and Mineral Water in Demand

The retail chain Euronics reports that availability bottlenecks may occur for cooling devices. Fans are usually bought with a time lag, once portable air conditioners become scarce. On Kaufland's online marketplace, fans, cooling pillows as well as SUP boards and paddling pools are popular — orders are mainly placed in the cooler evening hours. "Regionale Unterschiede gibt es nach Angaben einer Kaufland-Sprecherin nicht. Das Bedürfnis nach Abkühlung und Erfrischung sei derzeit überall gleich groß."

In addition to the heatwave, the football World Cup is generating extra sales: because of the tournament, snacks and beer are also selling well in supermarkets. The companies do not currently see bottlenecks for the bestsellers. Supply with mineral water and food is assured according to the association and retailers; only with individual electrical appliances may there be temporary supply bottlenecks.

The current heatwave with temperatures of 35 degrees and more is, in the assessment of several retailers, exceptional but fundamentally planned for seasonally. For consumers, this means: short-term supply bottlenecks may occur for popular cooling products, but supply with food and beverages remains stable according to the sector.