Over 35 degrees in the Grand Est and up to 40 in Paris and in the Rhône valley: it will be very hot on Friday! A heat peak is crossing France, a climatic episode which could be more and more frequent in the future. For some, this heat is boring, a real suffering. But it is also a blessed period for certain sectors of the economy, particularly in the food industry. When the mercury rises, the French go to the simplest way to cool off: ice cream, water but also gazpachos.
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Summer, an ice cream parlor's paradise
It's no surprise: when it's hot, the French buy… ice cream. The summer period from April to September represents "between 70% and 80% of the annual consumption" of industrial ice creams and sorbets, specifies Timothée Arar-Jeantet, secretary general of the Association of ice cream companies. "There is a very clear weather effect: when it's hot, you want to hydrate but also to have fun. Hence, in summer, the success of 'relaxation ice creams': cones, sticks and ice cream bars. "
But when it is even hotter than hot, sorbets are preferred over ice creams, which are a little too heavy. “It's fruit and lots of water, two ingredients that we crave when the temperatures are high. It gives us a feeling of freshness and hydration,” says Timothée Arar-Jeantet. A trend that is confirmed again this year in early summer sales.
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Beer and heatwave, that's no
There is also the special case of beer, which is often seen as a refreshing drink. In fact, 60% of hop consumption takes place during the summer period. But as soon as the heat wave sets in, the French abandon beer. "Last year, during the heatwave, we saw that there was no beer drinking at all. People only drink water, and that's the right thing to do. 'elsewhere ", recalls Maxime Costilhes, general delegate of Brasseurs de France. "Beer can be nice in the summer, but you have to be careful: when it's too hot, like any alcohol, it doesn't have the thirst-quenching power of water."
Logically, in the event of high heat, the consumption of mineral water, still and sparkling, explodes in supermarkets: it can increase by 50% in a week, according to data from the specialist firm Nielsen. In their wake, lemonades, syrups and other fruity drinks are popular when it comes to quenching their thirst. As for the meal, the French opt en masse for gazpacho, a refreshing cold vegetable soup from our Spanish neighbors.