UK heatwave triggers price rises for items such as hot tubs and air conditioning units

Of 11 seasonal items in Guardian price comparison, six hit highest price in last three months, with some nearly doubling in price in last week

The heatwave has triggered a surge in prices for seasonal items, with the cost of one inflatable hot tub nearly doubling in a week, while an industry expert said air conditioning units have risen by about 17% since April.

The Guardian looked at the cost of popular items across a range of websites and examined their price on PriceRunner, an independent price comparison service. One of the biggest price increases was for the Bestway inflatable hot tub Lay-Z-Spa Cancun AirJet, which was available for 160 on 21 May but now retails for a minimum of 299.