February was a difficult month weather-wise in Iceland, with a record number of weather warnings and snowfall. Vísir reports that conditions were so unprecedented that Húsasmiðjan, Iceland’s largest DIY and hardware store chain, sold out of snow shovels, snowblowers, and snow scrapers in February, with sales increasing by 140% over February of last year.
Although there was an unusually high demand in the capital area, the need for snow-clearing tools wasn’t restricted to a particular region. According to Húsasmiðjan marketing director Magnús Magnússon, snow shovels sold out in the company’s warehouse and most of the chain’s locations around the country.
“We’ve not sold so many snow shovels in years, especially in the capital area,” Magnús remarked. “We’ve also had a big increase in the sale of salt, sand, crampons, and even garden hoses, as people are melting snow and ice with hot water.”
The company is making efforts to replenish its stock, but Magnús says that demand is expected to drop as Iceland makes its way into the spring.
