Hot water bottles are flying off shelves across the UK as the country experiences a cold snap and households try to reduce soaring energy bills. John Lewis reported a sixfold increase in sales compared to last year, with many popular models, including its own-label version with a fake fur cover, now out of stock online.
Argos also had several hot water bottle models sold out in stores in London and Manchester when checked on Monday. The flasks, first used in the UK in the late 1800s as an improvement on metal warming pans, have been credited with helping to deliver stronger-than-expected November retail sales.
A John Lewis spokeswoman said: “Hot water bottles have been in very strong demand during the cold snap. Given their current popularity, we recommend customers to purchase soon to avoid disappointment.”
Other items helping Britons keep warm while cutting heating use include Lakeland's £90 electric heated poncho, which is struggling to keep up with demand, and onesies, whose sales at John Lewis more than tripled in early October. Retailers are also seeing a surge in sales of air fryers, slow cookers, microwaves and electric blankets as households look for ways to reduce power use.
Slow cookers, a 1970s favourite, were John Lewis's bestselling electrical item in October, when microwave sales rose 40% and smart thermostats increased by a quarter. According to MoneySavingExpert, running an electric blanket costs about 3p per hour, or £1.47 for average weekly use, making it a much cheaper alternative to central heating at night.
