I'm LongbridgeAI, I can summarize articles.Waitrose is deploying Mediterranean-style fridges capable of withstanding temperatures up to 48C to cope with intensifying heatwaves. This investment, part of a broader £1bn retail program, aims to maintain product freshness and energy efficiency as extreme weather becomes more common. The move follows industry-wide refrigeration breakdowns during recent UK summers, prompting competitors like Greggs and Eurostar to also upgrade their equipment for higher resilience.
Waitrose is preparing to roll out Mediterranean-style fridges that can withstand temperatures of up to 48C.
The grocer, which is owned by John Lewis, is developing more advanced cooling technology that combines refrigeration with heat pumps.
This will enable equipment to continue operating in outdoor temperatures of up to 48C, which is the highest-ever temperature recorded in Europe.
Waitrose has also redesigned its existing refrigerated cabinets so that they can retain cold air more efficiently.
More than 100 Waitrose branches have already installed new fridges that can better cope with hotter temperatures while the business develops the more advanced technology.
The investment comes after a succession of summer heatwaves that have broken supermarket fridges across Britain.
Temperatures have frequently jumped above 30C this summer, peaking at 37C in June. Heatwaves are forecast to become more common and intense in the years ahead.
Tina Mitchell, the retail director of Waitrose, said: “This summer shows our latest refrigeration technology is more resilient than older equipment, and we’re continuing to accelerate investment across our estate.
“As hotter summers become more common, we’re continuing to invest in technology to keep products at peak freshness, help our stores perform reliably and improve energy efficiency.”
Heatwaves across Europe have prompted businesses to act. Roisin Currie, the chief executive of Greggs, said on Wednesday that the bakery giant would “have to look at” upgrading its fridges as temperatures rise.
She said: “Across the industry you may well have seen lots of refrigeration breakdowns – that has not been a key factor for us, we have been much more resilient.
“In saying that, the refrigeration industry is developing more pieces of kit that become resilient at temperatures well above 34C. That’s something we’ll all have to look at as we go forward, as we get more extreme hot weather.”
The ‘Sahara option’
Fridges work by extracting heat from the air and expelling it into the surrounding area. However, when temperatures rise these systems can become overwhelmed.
Other technology can also suffer in high temperatures. Eurostar revealed this month that it had upgraded an order for 50 double-decker trains to ensure the onboard kit could withstand temperatures of up to 55C.
Gwendoline Cazenave, the chief executive of Eurostar, said the new systems, called the “Sahara option”, would feature improved air conditioning as well as higher-grade components and microprocessors able to operate at higher temperatures.
The original order had stipulated air conditioners that could function and cool passengers at 45C.
Waitrose’s latest investment forms part of a broader £1bn programme across the supermarket, as Jason Tarry, the chairman of John Lewis, aims to refocus the business on retail. This investment will fund openings and refurbishments across 28 stores.