Marks & Spencer is spending on new refrigeration equipment that can operate in temperatures as high as 45C, as retailers prepare for more frequent extreme heat in the UK. The company said the move reflects an assumption that summers will continue to get hotter as climate change raises the risk of prolonged hot spells.
Chief executive Stuart Machin told shareholders at the retailer’s annual meeting in London that the business had struggled during nine days of recent extreme heat. He said the hotter weather had affected store operations and that M&S was responding by upgrading equipment, including fridges with doors that help maintain cooler temperatures in warm conditions.
The retailer also said demand for ice cream rose sharply during recent hot weather, forcing it to bring in extra stock. One supplier had to add 10 workers after six product lines ran out. The comments came as other supermarket chains have also reported pressure on refrigeration systems during June’s heatwave, with Sainsbury’s saying it was investing heavily in upgrades across its stores.
Machin also used the meeting to discuss security spending and the company’s response to retail crime. He said M&S had put millions of pounds into more guards through a third-party provider and was also improving systems aimed at reducing losses from items taken without payment at self-checkouts.
Source: theguardian.com
