Sustained hot weather provided a boost for Britain’s pool and spa businesses this summer as consumers lapped up the good weather with a seemingly unquenchable thirst for outdoor living, according to the latest Pool & Spa Scene retail survey.
The Pool & Spa Scene team carried out a snapshot analysis of some 137 pool and spa businesses with 54% of businesses reporting higher sales than this time last year.
Some hot tub retailers are reporting sales of up to 36% on last year with interest in outdoor living options such as cabins and gazebos up by a staggering 64%. Above ground pool sales too are expected to return to the summer sales high of 2009.
In-ground pool enquiries have shot up, report others, but many from consumers with unrealistic expectations and all wanting their pool installed tomorrow. Meanwhile, others who have kept their pools closed for a long time, finally opened up this summer triggering a tidal wave of maintenance and service calls.
Another increasing trend is the sale of hot tubs to holiday homes, many attracting multiple purchases of five hot tubs or more at a time.
While many reported busy showrooms from dawn to dusk, ironically, some retailers reported less visitors than normal to both shop displays and county shows because, they believed, the hot weather was keeping the customers close to home.
As an added twist to the dramatic season, a mid-season price war, between several competing wholesalers, saw the price of chlorine and other water treatment products skyfall to unprecedented low figures such as 1kg of chlorine granules slashed from £12.90 RRP to £2.60 and 5kg of multifunctional tables from £61.60 to £12.
