IT’S A BUG’S LIFE FOR MOTORISTS

Drivers swarm to buy insect cleaner from Halfords as warm weather brings on the bugs

• Sales of Bug Shifter up 40% YOY

• Bird Dropping Wipes up 60% YOY

• Plastic buckets are up 29% YOY

SOARING temperatures mean road trips, family time in the sun…and bugs. This summer’s warmer weather has seen motorists fall foul of Mother Nature as flies, insects and bird droppings wreak havoc with their car’s bodywork.

Faced with this onslaught, drivers are adding new car cleaning products to their arsenal to tackle the stubborn marks rather than toiling for hours in search of a showroom shine.

As a result Halfords has seen sales of specialist products including Bug Shifter (up 40%) Bug Shifter Pads (up 42%) and Bird Dropping Wipes (up 60%) increase dramatically year on year.

Halfords car washing expert, Dave Swaysland said: “The warmer weather is great for wildlife but those extra bugs and beasties can be tough on your car’s paintwork. We’re noticing motorists are investing in specialist products this year to keep the effects of Mother Nature at bay.”

It seems the warmer weather is also encouraging more drivers to clean their own car, rather than visit the car wash, with sales of car cleaning essentials like plastic buckets also increasing by nearly a third (29%) versus last year.

However, despite the school holidays it is unlikely that the kids are rolling up their sleeves for some extra pocket money - with Halfords’ research revealing that a third of children haven’t washed their parent’s car this summer, 15% haven’t washed it during the past two years, and a further third (33%) have NEVER washed the family car.

More than half of parents (52%) said that they wouldn’t trust their kids to make a good job of cleaning their car at all and prefer to do it themselves.

To make sure your car shines all summer, follow Halfords top car washing tips;

• Tackle the marks left by bugs and birds promptly before they react with the surface of your car’s paintwork

• Make sure all the windows are closed before you start

• Start at the top of the vehicle and work your way down

• Don’t wash your car when the bodywork is hot – it will mean cleaning products could dry too quickly and leave marks

• When you’ve finished the exterior, rub dry in small circles to avoid streaking

• Don’t forget the interior – start by vacuuming to remove any dust so you’re not just moving dirt around

-ENDS-

For further information please contact Halfords@z-pr.com or 020 7896 3404

The Halfords Group is the UK's leading retailer of automotive, leisure and cycling products and through Halfords Autocentres also one of the UK's leading independent car servicing and repair operator.

Halfords customers shop at 467 stores in the UK and Republic of Ireland and at halfords.com for pick-up at their local store or direct home delivery. Halfords Autocentres operates from around 290 sites nationally and offers motorists dealership-quality MOTs, repairs and car servicing at affordable prices. Halfords employs approximately 12,000 colleagues and sells around 10,000 product lines in stores, increasing to around 30,000 lines online. The product offering encompasses significant ranges in car parts, cycles, in-car technology, child seats, roof boxes, outdoor leisure and camping equipment.

Halfords own brands include Apollo and Carrera cycles, augmented by exclusive UK distribution rights for the premium-ranged Boardman cycles and accessories and the retro-inspired Pendleton designs from Olympic champion Victoria Pendleton which combine classic lines with modern practicality.

New ranges are launching across the Carrera, Mongoose, Boardman and Raleigh brands with exclusive lines ahead of the Tour de France this summer.

In outdoor leisure, we sell a premium range of camping equipment including brands such as Outwell. Halfords offers customers expert advice and a fitting service called "wefit" for car parts, child seats, satellite navigation and in-car entertainment systems, and a "werepair" service for cycles.

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