Supermarkets forced to upgrade fridges after ‘meltdown’ during June heatwave

Another heatwave is gripping the UK after the June sizzler, putting pressure on infrastructure from water supplies to supermarkets.

Temperatures in the UK cranked up to over 37C during the recent heat dome blanketing western Europe.

It forced several hospitals to declare critical incidents, while experts warned that extreme heat is becoming the new norm as climate change ramps up.

Major supermarkets also felt the brunt of the heat, with shoppers facing empty fridges after cooling systems struggled to cope.

Now Mark & Spencer has revealed it plans to reinvest in systems that won’t buckle under 45C temperatures.

The supermarket’s chief executive Stuart Machin told a shareholder meeting in London that some of the fridges broke down in last month’s heatwave.

He said: ‘There’s no doubt we were struggling in those nine days of extreme heat.

‘Now we’re investing in equipment in our stores to deal with temperatures of 45 degrees.

‘We’re reviewing all our refrigeration as well.’

The UK could regularly see peak temperatures of 45C by 2056, according to Met Office scientists.

What is the weather forecast in London this week?

Londoners will endure the worst of the July heatwave, with temperatures slated to creep up to 34C and possibly above later this week.

Tomorrow and Thursday are expected to be the hottest days of the week, with sun blasting from the clear sky, meaning the UV level will remain very high.

Met Office’s deputy chief forecaster Steven Keates said that nighttime temperatures in urban areas are likely to remain ‘in the high teens Celsius overnight,’ spelling tropical nights.

An amber heat health alert covers London, the South East and West, East of England and the Midlands from Wednesday morning until Sunday evening.

Where is there a hosepipe ban in the UK?

Rainfall has been sparse across the UK for weeks, increasing the risk of wildfires and putting further pressure on water supplies.

And there are no significant showers in the immediate pipeline, prompting water companies to take action in the worst-affected areas in the south.

Londoners have been told to avoid using hosepipes, although there is no official ban in the capital at the moment.

Thames Water, which has been embroiled in the sewage discharge controversy, pleaded its 16 million customers to avoid using hosepipes and sprinklers to that supplies can be maintained.

South East Water introduced an official hosepipe ban in parts of Kent from July 3, and in place until further notice.

Southern Water’s hosepipe ban will start across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight from Friday, July 10.

Using a hosepipe in a banned zone can result in a £1,000 fine.

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