UK supermarkets report isolated fridge failures during recent heat above 32 °C

The BBC reported that UK supermarkets and homes experienced widespread refrigeration failures during last week's temperatures above 32 °C, with similar conditions forecast for next week. Shoppers in Somerset and Bristol, including the town of Cheddar, observed empty and switched-off fridges in stores, while the Somerset village of Merryfield recorded a record high of 36.7 °C.

Engineers in Wiltshire reported record call-outs for domestic fridges that failed.

Bristol-based refrigeration expert Dr Alan Foster stated that fridges are typically designed to operate in air temperatures up to about 32 °C. He noted that supermarket fridges were designed for 32 °C in a much cooler world decades ago, and that it could take 20 years before all existing systems are upgraded to current maximum design temperatures.

A UK Climate Change Commission study found the food industry was badly hit by the 2022 heatwave that reached 40.3 °C, with increased energy costs and refrigeration system failures forcing supermarkets to empty shelves.

Rupert Ashby of the British Frozen Food Federation stated that freezers in supermarkets are breaking down or being switched off in extreme heat because systems struggle to expel hot air, particularly in older stores with remote compressors and external condensers.

Cindy Nellis of Bath Domestic Appliances stated that older domestic fridges are set to operate between 18 °C and 25 °C ambient temperature, while newer models work at 35 °C. A Tesco spokesperson stated there were a few isolated issues affecting refrigeration units but not indicative of any broader issue, with maintenance teams resolving problems and customers able to access products in the vast majority of stores.