Overview
- Supermarkets across England and Wales reported broken or closed chilled and frozen units as temperatures peaked during the extreme heatwave, with many outlets posting ‘out of order’ notices and empty aisles on Wednesday, June 24.
- Retailers responded by clearing stock, drawing blinds, erecting barriers and switching off some display units so remaining equipment could operate at full capacity while engineers worked on repairs.
- The Food Standards Agency requires fridges to run at 5°C or below and freezers at −18°C, rules that forced stores to remove chilled goods that could not be kept at safe temperatures.
- Industry figures blamed older or overstressed refrigeration systems for the failures, saying units working overtime in high demand for frozen items are more likely to break down during regular severe-heat episodes.
- Shoppers faced shortages of staples like milk and meat and stores risked food waste, prompting questions about the resilience of supermarket cold chains and the need for investment to cope with rising extreme temperatures.