BBQ season set to sizzle: A sunny spring put BBQs on the menu in April and searches suggest bumper BBQ bank holiday ahead according to Ocado.com

• BBQ fever is firing up earlier this year according to Ocado.com. Searches for ‘BBQ’ were up +201% this April compared to last year, suggesting Brits were getting their grills going sooner.
• With the weather heating up this week, searches for ‘BBQ meat’ rose by +254% WoW on Ocado.com, with ‘BBQ food’ (+217%) and ‘BBQ’ (+196%) also soaring as shoppers prep for a grill-filled Bank Holiday weekend.
• Warmer weather brings a taste for fresh flavours, with searches for chicken skewers up +67%, marinades up +69% WoW, and fish skewer sales up +21% WoW.
• Not forgetting the essentials, charcoal is back on shopping lists, with searches up +88% and sales up +14% WoW, as Brits prepare for a weekend of alfresco cooking.
• Ice pops and ice lollies are also having their moment, with searches up +179% and +148% WoW respectively.

It’s official: BBQ season is firing up earlier this year – and shoppers are getting ready for a wave of alfresco eating, according to data from Ocado.com. 

Searches on the online supermarket’s site for BBQ staples have surged this week, with a staggering +254% uplift in ‘BBQ meat’, +217% in ‘BBQ food’, and +196% in ‘BBQ’ overall, as shoppers prepare for what’s shaping up to be one of the biggest BBQ weekends of the year so far. This follows an April which saw searches of ‘BBQ’ foods up 201%  and sales up 29% compared to the year before, as people have made the most of the good weather and got grilling earlier.

Shoppers are stocking up on the all-important essentials to make it happen – this week, searches for charcoal are up +88%, with sales also rising +14% WoW – a sure sign that Britain’s barbecues are being wheeled out and fired up. 

As for what’s heating up right now, shoppers are seeking fresh flavours with a lighter touch, with searches for chicken skewers up +67% and sales of fish skewers up +21%. Shoppers are getting experimental with what’s going on the grill, with marinade searches up +69% and sales for HLS Harissa Cornish Monkfish Skewers up 67% WoW. Combining orange harissa, Cornish Sea salt and maple syrup, these tasty skewers offer fish with a twist and are ideal for the BBQ. 

It’s not just what’s cooking on the coals that’s turning heads – freezer doors are flying open too. Searches for ice pops (+179%), ice lollies (+148%), and ice creams (+97%) have all skyrocketed WoW. Shoppers are reaching for nostalgic favourites like Solero (+155%) and Fab (+89%), whilst others are seeking a taste of la dolce vita with Italian-style gelato from Remeo (+99%), with Remeo Gelato Stracciatella Gelato in particular catching shoppers’ attention with sales up +55% WoW. 

Meanwhile, summer essentials are flying, with suncream (+166%), sunscreen (+151%), and Pimm’s (+103%) all soaring in searches. Whether shoppers are planning park picnics, patio parties or simply a lazy lounger afternoon, one thing’s for certain: summer has officially arrived in their baskets.

Tom Bryan, Trading Manager for Meat, Fish, Poultry and Eggs at Ocado.com, says: “Thanks to the sunny weather, there’s a real shift in energy this week – you can tell customers are ready to fire up the grill. From burgers to skewers, BBQ buys are booming as shoppers prep for a weekend outdoors. It’s not just about the classics either – there’s real appetite for bold flavours and lighter cuts, showing that summer eating is evolving, and fast.”

So, whether it’s sausages under the sun or lollies in the lounge chair, shoppers are getting grill-ready for a weekend that’s shaping up to be the first true taste of summer.