Heatwave pushes UK food chain to the brink while supermarket fridges can't cope

Heatwave pushes UK food chain to the brink while supermarket fridges can't cope EXCLUSIVE: As parts of the UK are hit by the third heatwave this year, Britain's food infrastructure is facing "severe pressure" in the rapidly warming climate As the third heatwave of the year hits parts of the UK this year, with temperatures expected to rise to 34°C, supermarket shoppers are set to face a frustratingly familiar sight: empty fridges and freezers, as overheated appliances fail to work. As the mercury rises once again, Britain's food infrastructure is facing severe pressure. Experts warn that the record-breaking 36.9°C highs that triggered widespread health alerts, school closures, and rail chaos are no longer freak, one-off events - and that we need to upgrade the appliances we rely on to keep our food fresh or they could buckle under the strain. Last month's heatwave saw temperatures reach highs of 37.7°C, with health alerts issued across large parts of England, thousands of school's closed and trains coming to a halt. Away from the discomfort and inconvenience the heat brings, experts have warned that the country's ability to keep supplying fresh food was under "severe pressure" during the baking temperatures. Sustainability expert Andrew Hulbert says the UK's recent run of extreme weather should be a wake-up call. "People think climate change is something that's coming in 50 years' time, but it's not - it's today," he told the Mirror. "We've had record-breaking hot days this June, and fundamentally the UK's cooling infrastructure simply wasn't designed to work in temperatures above 30C." That has already become evident inside many supermarkets, where refrigeration systems have struggled to cope during periods of extreme heat. "When temperatures get too high, cooling systems can't operate properly," Andrew explains. "It's the same for supermarket fridge freezers. They're designed for the climate we've had over the last 20 or 30 years - not the one we're moving into." Shoppers have already noticed empty chilled shelves and refrigeration units switched off during recent hot spells, something Andrew believes should be seen as a warning rather than an inconvenience. "If supermarkets are struggling to keep food chilled now, that's a huge red flag for what's coming." The issue, he says, isn't simply replacing broken fridges. Many commercial refrigeration systems rely on outdoor condensers, which become significantly less efficient during extreme heat. According to the Cold Chain Federation, half of the country's food supply passes through 460 temperature-controlled warehouses, which were pushed to their limit during the recent heatwave. During the peak of the heatwave, the roofs of these hubs warmed as high as 50°C, making it difficult for the cooling systems to maintain the required -20°C inside. Tom Southall, deputy chief executive at the Cold Chain Federation, has urged the government to class the cold supply chain as critical national infrastructure, allowing large warehouses priority emergency access to the power grid. Last month, the warehouses consumed the equivalent energy of Greater Manchester and Leeds combined. He added: "The UK’s critical cold chain sector is being rapidly challenged by an increasing range of threats that present a real risk of future disruption to the nation’s food and pharmaceutical supplies. Just last month the Climate Change Committee warned that climate conditions will expose vulnerabilities in the UK’s cold chains and that existing reactive measures for resilience in times of high heat will not be sufficient. "Businesses in the cold chain are committed to investing in adaptations, but they need support to keep pace with the speed of change. The Government must urgently do more to recognise the specific threat to cold chain businesses and support investment in infrastructure to ensure the nation’s food and pharmaceutical supplies remain secure.” Describing last month's heatwave, Phil Pluck, chief executive of CCF, told the Times: "We were not going to collapse last week, but we were under severe pressure and really it just acts as a warning. If things get to 39C or 40C and that continues for more than five days and we aren't that far from that then we probably will see major breakdowns." If temperatures above 35C become more common, businesses across the country could be forced to replace entire cooling systems with equipment capable of coping with hotter conditions. And those upgrades won't come cheap. "The reality is, if we're consistently going to have temperatures above 35C, we'll have to upgrade cooling systems across the country," Andrew says. "That comes with a cost." Ultimately, Andrew believes consumers will shoulder much of the financial burden. "It's not as if supermarkets are making huge profits. As infrastructure and energy costs continue to rise, some of those costs have to be passed on to the consumer. That's just business." It's a challenge extending far beyond retailers. Schools, care homes and hospitals are also increasingly vulnerable to rising temperatures. Andrew points to his own children's school, where pupils have been allowed to wear PE kits during the hot weather but classrooms still lack air conditioning. "I share a great concern about the longevity of schools, care homes and hospitals," he says. "In places like blood donation centres, rooms have to stay at around 19C. Some hospitals are thinking ahead, but they'll all be affected." Unlike countries such as the UAE, where buildings and infrastructure have long been designed to withstand extreme heat, Britain is playing catch-up. "We'll have to move closer to the kinds of systems used in places like Dubai," Andrew explains. "They've invested because they've always known they'd be dealing with those temperatures. We haven't." However, replicating that level of resilience across the UK would require enormous investment. "There are around 220 million dwellings across Europe," he says. "There's simply not enough money on Earth to fix that overnight." Despite the scale of the challenge, Andrew believes delaying action will only make the eventual costs even higher. "If you've got an air conditioning system that's 20 years old and we have a 35C day, it could fail completely. Then you've got the immediate cost of replacing it." For businesses considering whether to invest in more resilient equipment now, his advice is simple. "My advice would be to invest. The weather is only going to become more extreme - both hotter summers and colder winters." Yet despite mounting evidence that Britain's climate is changing faster than many expected, Andrew says there remains little financial support to help organisations or households prepare. "I'd love to see a Government support scheme," he says. "But I'm sceptical." Much of the political conversation, he argues, remains centred on long-term net zero targets rather than adapting infrastructure for today's climate. "Everyone keeps talking about Net Zero 2050, but Net Zero isn't going to stop 35C days in June. We need to start talking seriously about adapting the country for the climate we're already living in." To keep your fridge freezer summer ready, follow these key steps: - Check the temperature settings and make sure it's set between 3C and 5C and your freezer at -18C - Don't overload it with food that could restrict airflow - Keep the door closed - Clean the condensor coils - Defrost if necessary - Keep it away from heat sources [Image text:] Clubcard Prices Fridge Breakdown Sorry for any Inconvenience ubcard Price