Staying cool:

Retail readiness in a heatwave

I popped out for a swim earlier. The kind of heat where a swim feels less like a luxury and more like survival. On the way back, I stopped by my local Co-op. Ice lolly? Check. BBQ snacks? Check. Chilled rosé and strawberries? Double check. Even the ice cream van was out in full force (honestly, where do they go in winter?).

It hit me how on-point retail can be when the heatwave strikes. And right now, the Met Office says many areas will hit heatwave thresholds by Friday 20th or Saturday 21st June, so the timing couldn’t be better.

But this level of readiness isn’t luck. It's planning. These days, powered by AI and made real by people.

Retailers have been using AI and forecasting tools for over a decade now, especially in sectors like grocery where seasonal spikes are predictable. But the sophistication today is NEXT LEVEL. What used to be weekly or regional predictions are now real-time, store-specific, and automated. Tools like Impact Analytics combine weather data, local events, historical sales and real-time behaviour to forecast exactly what shoppers will need — and when.

For grocery and convenience retailers, this means:

• Pinpointing exactly what will sell, and where
• Reacting fast as weather patterns shift
• Automating replenishment, pricing, and promotions
• Reducing waste and maximising availability

These AI agents don’t just offer insight, they trigger action. The result? Stores that feel perfectly in tune with the weather, the moment, and the customer.

And still, it's the people who make it happen. The floor staff bringing displays to the front. The store managers responding to local demand. The teams keeping their cool (literally and figuratively) when footfall surges.

AI predicts. People deliver.
And when they work together (especially in 30-degree heat)  that’s retail at its best.