UK supermarkets grapple with refrigeration failures during June heatwave

During a June 2026 heatwave in the United Kingdom, temperatures surged to 37.7 °C, with forecasts warning of possible peaks of 45 °C in the future. The extreme heat caused refrigeration systems in many food retailers to break down, leading to empty chilled shelves and disrupted cold‑chain operations.

Marks & Spencer's chief executive Stuart Machin said the chain’s fridges and freezers failed during nine days of intense heat, prompting an investment programme to replace equipment and review refrigeration across all stores. Industry experts highlighted that commercial cooling units, many of which rely on outdoor condensers, are not designed for temperatures above 30 °C and that the cold‑chain sector, which moves half of the nation's food supply through around 460 temperature‑controlled warehouses, faced severe strain. The Cold Chain Federation urged the government to classify the cold‑supply chain as critical national infrastructure and to provide priority power access.

The situation underscores growing vulnerabilities in the UK’s food and pharmaceutical supply chains as climate change makes extreme heat more frequent.