SHOPS are braced for what experts claim is the “latest full-on barbecue weekend ever” as temperatures soar.
Casual grillers will have usually packed their tongs away by this time of year.
But forecasts of an unseasonal 27C on Saturday and Sunday has seen supermarkets prepped for a run on bangers, burgers and beer.
Rupert Bates, of BBQ Magazine, said: “Enthusiasts will barbecue in October, but you don’t often see the widespread grilling likely this weekend.”
The Met Office says Saturday will be fine and dry with temperatures up to 25C.
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And the heat could go up a degree or two the following day. Tesco uses a system to predict sales linked to temperature changes and sunshine hours region-by-region.
It expects to sell 300,000 packs of sausages between Friday and Sunday, plus one million packs of burgers and three million cans of beer.
Wine, strawberries, cream and ice cream are also expected to fly off its shelves.
Tara Darbari, of Tesco, said the forecast creates a “feel good factor”. She said: “Barbecue opportunities were thin on the ground this summer.
“A lot of people will be in the garden making the most of the unexpected sunshine.”
Online grocer Ocado has seen barbecue searches rise by 31 per cent this week.
Demand for its burgers is up 21 per cent, while sales of ready-to-serve drinks like canned cocktails were up 17 per cent on this time in 2022.