E-commerce orders jump 18% in UK and Europe amid summer heatwave

UK and European e-commerce order volumes rose by 18% in Q2 2025, driven by a 25% surge in June alone. The spike was fuelled by a combination of hot weather and increased demand around Father’s Day gifting, according to data from Scurri Unpacked.

With June confirmed by the Met Office as one of the UK’s warmest on record and much of Europe experiencing significantly higher-than-average temperatures, seasonal categories recorded the strongest performance.

This was led by garden and outdoor products (+48%), homewares (+46%), toys and fashion (both +33%), and sports equipment (+31%).

While the UK experienced steady growth, international shipping volumes were also robust. Germany led with a 37% year-on-year increase, followed by Poland (+28%) and Ireland (+21%).

In contrast, shipments to the US declined 17%, reflecting the impact of the 10% tariffs imposed on UK goods from 5 April.

Rory O’Connor, founder and CEO of Scurri, said: "May and June entered the record books as two of the hottest months seen across the UK and Europe.

"This, combined with Father’s Day trading, created ideal conditions for e-commerce growth. The uplift in outdoor, gifting and lifestyle categories shows how quickly consumer needs can shift and the importance of responding in real-time to capitalise on sales."

To accommodate this demand, e-commerce brands continued to use delivery options as a lever for customer satisfaction and brand trust.

The data revealed that signature-on-delivery services saw a 21% increase quarter-on-quarter and a 28% uplift year-on-year, indicating a growing demand for delivery assurance among shoppers.

Next-day delivery volumes remained flat compared to the previous quarter but rose 29% year-on-year, indicating steady demand for speed. Meanwhile, two-day delivery jumped 19%, with shoppers increasingly opting a balanced option between cost and speed.

Weekend delivery volumes declined by 26% quarter-on-quarter, a predictable dip due to a slowdown in gifting occasions. However, on a year-over-year basis, this service saw the strongest growth at 47%.

"With Scurri Unpacked, we’re opening access to our delivery data and sharing valuable insights that not only empower customers but democratise those insights for the entire industry, helping inform strategy, improve performance and navigate ongoing and fast-paced change," added O’Connor.