Waitrose upgrades fridges amid summer heatwave disruption

The announcement follows store disruptions during this summer’s heatwaves, when refrigeration units failed, leaving empty chilled and frozen aisles in some supermarkets across the UK.

Waitrose’s upgraded fridges are designed to withstand temperatures of up to 48C, helping the retailer maintain product freshness, improve store reliability, and increase energy efficiency.

Tina Mitchell, retail director at Waitrose, spoke to the Retail Gazette.

She said: “This summer shows our latest refrigeration technology is more resilient than older equipment, and we’re continuing to accelerate investment across our estate.”

The technology combines heat pumps with advanced refrigeration systems and forms part of the retailer’s ongoing estate modernisation programme.

The John Lewis Partnership’s latest annual report revealed that 28 Waitrose stores received full refrigeration replacements in 2025/26.

By the end of the financial year, heat-pump technology had been installed at 69 shops.

Waitrose’s move comes amid record-high temperatures.

According to the Met Office, 2026 was the first year on record with UK temperatures of 35C or above recorded in May, June, and July.

On June 26, a provisional high of 37.7C was recorded, breaking the UK’s previous June record.

Other supermarkets are making similar investments.

Marks & Spencer is upgrading fridges to operate in temperatures of up to 45C after chief executive Stuart Machin admitted that its stores struggled during nine days of extreme heat in June.

Sainsbury’s has also announced plans to upgrade refrigeration systems in around 100 stores.