Shoppers across parts of southern England have been left struggling to buy chilled and frozen groceries after soaring temperatures triggered refrigeration failures in several supermarkets during the ongoing heatwave.
Stores operated by major retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer, Aldi and Waitrose have reported broken chillers and empty refrigerated shelves as temperatures climbed above 30°C in parts of the UK this week.
In Winchester, customers visiting Tesco Extra, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer stores in the city centre found large sections of chilled cabinets shut down after refrigeration systems struggled to cope with the unusually high May temperatures. Shelves normally stocked with milk, yoghurts, ready meals and chilled meat were left empty, with apology notices and “out of order” signs displayed across affected areas.
An M&S spokesperson said the retailer’s Winchester store remained open with “good product availability”, although some fridges were temporarily out of use while repairs were carried out. Sainsbury’s also confirmed the issues were linked to the spell of hot weather and expected systems to return to normal as temperatures ease.
The disruption was seen in Oxfordshire as, where shoppers reported widespread refrigeration failures at supermarkets in Didcot and Henley. Customers at Aldi in Broadway, Didcot, said they were unable to purchase chilled products after cooling systems broke down during the hottest part of the day.
Meanwhile, a Waitrose store in Henley removed chilled and frozen stock from shelves entirely after a failure in its main refrigeration units. Notices displayed in-store said products had been returned to distribution centres to prevent food waste and spoilage.
A Waitrose spokesperson apologised for the disruption and said staff acted quickly to protect stock while engineers worked to restore the chillers. The retailer added that nearby branches remained open for customers needing chilled items.
There have also been reports of refrigeration problems at a Sainsbury’s store in Didcot, although the retailer has yet to confirm the extent of the issue.
The incidents highlight the pressure extreme temperatures can place on supermarket refrigeration infrastructure, particularly during sudden heatwaves. Forecasters expect temperatures to ease slightly later this week, although much of southern England is set to remain significantly warmer than seasonal averages.