Hot profit in cool customers

The Met Office is generating an increasing proportion of its 150 million pound sterling/yr. revenue from providing manufacturers and retailers with tailored forecasts and briefings. Supermarket chain Sainsbury relies on weather forecasts to ensure that its stores have the right amount of groceries at the right time. Sainsbury's logistics director John Rowe explains that sales of products such as soft drinks, ice creams, salads and desserts can increase by between 70% and 225% when there is a big change in temperature. Violent swings in temperature also affect the energy industry.