Supermarket customers faced frustration on Wednesday due to the ‘severe’ heatwave sweeping across the UK, leading to refrigeration issues and empty shelves in major stores.
Fridges and freezers at various outlets like Tesco and M&S displayed printed warnings as shoppers encountered vacant aisles. Reports indicated that Tesco branches in Haslingden, Crewe, and Altrincham were dealing with depleted shelves, with images and videos shared by the Manchester Evening News showing malfunctioning fridges at the Crewe M&S and affected Sainsbury’s stores nationwide.
The stores grappled with refrigeration challenges amid high temperatures, preventing shoppers from accessing essential items like meat and milk. Similar issues were observed in several supermarket branches throughout the country.
One dissatisfied customer shared on social media about broken fridges at the Haslingden Tesco, expressing concern about food wastage. Additionally, there were reports of malfunctioning fridges at the Crewe Tesco and M&S, along with Waitrose in Sandbach, indicating a widespread problem across the UK.
Social media users across the UK recounted their experiences on Wednesday, the hottest June day on record, with temperatures reaching a provisional 36C, surpassing the previous 1976 summer record.
A Morrisons branch in Swindon issued an apology for a ‘maintenance issue’ after images revealed empty freezers. This situation unfolded as many parts of England and Wales endured exceptionally hot and humid weather, prompting amber and rare red warnings from the Met Office for continued extreme heat throughout the week.
Tesco, M&S, and Waitrose were contacted for comments on the situation.
