How unpredictable weather affects business in the UK

We fought the beast from the East, battled a scorching summer heat wave and then faced record breaking high temperatures during the winter months. But how are these absurd weather conditions affecting business in the UK?

By Shannon Weir

Climate change has clearly taken a toll on British weather, causing unpredictable weather patterns all over the UK, which in turn creates mayhem for businesses trying to accommodate seasonal consumer habits.

The unusual temperature soars in February, reaching peaks of 21.2C, resulted in customers stocking up on products, which are typically bought in the later summer months. Summer clothes where flying off the shelves while more typical winter products such as gloves and scarfs were left out in the cold.

Retail giant John Lewis saw a 13% increase in sales of shorts, swimwear and sunglasses during the spike in temperatures. Although this can open new opportunities for businesses to increase their sales, it also creates problems as shops are ordering the wrong type of stock due to the unpredictable nature of the sales.

Superdry has also been affected by unpredictable weather and the company’s CEO, Euan Sutherland claims that the recent spurt of warm weather this winter has resulted in a drop in profits due to issues with “product mix and range”.

Agriculture businesses are also bearing the brunt of climate change as crops are spoiling due to unfamiliar weather conditions.

Associate Professor of strategy and entrepreneurship at Imperial College London, Dr Anu Wadhwa says that agriculture businesses are suffering massively due to global warming, particularly small businesses who don’t have the finances to keep money aside for a rainy day.

She says: “Global warming is a serious issue which is costing people their livelihoods!”

Snowfall earlier this year presented another problem for businesses all over the UK as employees struggled to make it to work through dangerous driving conditions and sales dropped as potential customers chose to stay inside. Owner of Chiffon clothes shop, Sue Lee explains how the weather has a huge impact on her business and even a small drop in temperature can result in a large fall in sales. “English weather can make starting a retail business next to impossible.” She continues to explain that snow and rain in particular cause the most damage to her business.

Icy weather also wreaks havoc on the construction industry as sub-zero temperatures make it too cold to lay bricks, costing companies a fortune.

Dr Wadhwa says that there is no way for businesses to prepare for these obscene conditions and their only hope is for the government to introduce firmer climate change policies to reverse the effects of global warming.