Winter's arrived after what was an unusually warm April and early May. The change in weather has an impact on our shopping habits.
The Warehouse and Farmers say sales of heaters, blankets and winter clothing took off in last week. Normally you would expect it to start earlier.
You may have noticed lots of people wearing open toed "summer" shoes. That chimes with data from retail analysts, who say that shoe sales were down in April from the same time a year ago. That suggests people delayed buying their winter shoes.
Countdown supermarkets report that sales of sunscreen and pest treatments extended longer than expected. Ice-cream, chilled juice and salads also sold well.
Soup sales have been slower than usual but are now expected to pick up.
Farmers say sales of juicers were stronger than expected. They are now being replaced by sales of slow cookers.
The change in season influences the meats we buy. The Mad Butcher says barbecue meats are now being replaced by meats good for soups and casseroles. They are often cheaper cuts of meat.
