Shoppers across the UK were confronted with empty shelves and broken fridges at major supermarkets on Wednesday, June 24, as an extreme heatwave caused widespread refrigeration failures. Tesco stores in Haslingden, Crewe, and Altrincham reported empty aisles, with video footage shared with the Manchester Evening News showing bare shelves. M&S in Crewe also displayed out-of-order fridges, while Sainsbury's stores elsewhere in the UK were similarly affected.
Refrigeration Systems Fail Under Heat
The stores appeared to struggle with their refrigeration systems as temperatures soared, leaving customers unable to purchase essential items such as meat and milk. A sign on fridges at a Tesco in Altrincham read: "This unit is not currently in use. This is to ensure the remaining fridges/freezers in this store can operate at full capacity." Notices at the Crewe M&S stated: "Unfortunately, this fridge is out of order."
Shoppers Express Frustration
One frustrated shopper wrote on social media: "Anyone thinking of going in Haslingden Tesco don't bother! Pretty much all the fridge and freezers are broken. Meat aisle is completely empty and they won't let you take anything out of the yogurt aisle. Will be loads of food gone to waste today." Another reported: "At the M&S there were some broken fridges and some with notices saying they've been switched off. It was the same situation at Waitrose in Sandbach with broken down fridges. I think the entire UK is in meltdown."
Heatwave Breaks June Record
The disruption came as the UK experienced its hottest June day on record, with temperatures hitting a provisional 36C, surpassing the previous record from the summer of 1976. Social media users documented similar scenes across the country. One user wrote on X: "If anyone is desperate for M&S, do not go to High Wycombe retail park. All the fridges are off-line literally only got dry stuff available." Another shared a photograph of a Tesco refrigeration breakdown notice, asking: "The fridges in my local shop this morning couldn't deal with the heat. Have you seen the same thing where you live?"
Impact Across Multiple Stores
A Morrisons branch in Swindon also issued an apology after images showed a row of bare freezers, blaming a "maintenance issue." The Met Office has issued amber and rare red warnings for extreme heat, which is forecast to persist for the rest of the week. Tesco, M&S, and Waitrose were contacted for comment but had not responded at the time of publication.
