Hot summer fridge boost warning

By Steven McKenzie
Highlands and Islands reporter, BBC Scotland news website

Better energy efficiency is offset by consumer demands for bigger fridges

The hot summer is affecting the operation of fridges and freezers and, for one electrical retailer, has led to soaring sales of the appliances.

Long spells of warm weather, or fluctuations in temperature, have been blamed for causing older appliances to break down.

Friends of the Earth Scotland (FoES) said use of the appliances was locked in a climate change "vicious circle".

Comet, meanwhile, said sales of fridges for the past four weeks were up 115%.

The Met Office has forecast warm weather for some parts of the UK to continue into next week.

It said temperatures climbed well above average across the country this week, with Kinlochewe in the Highlands recording 27C on Wednesday.

In April, the Met Office said the UK was "odds on for a barbecue summer" with temperatures likely to be warmer than average across the UK, topping 30C at times.

On the market today are large American-style fridges - the ones with ice making machines - and these do use a lot of power Duncan McLaren Friends of the Earth

Duncan McLaren, of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said fridges, freezers and the use of air conditioning were in climate change vicious circle scenarios - where warmer temperatures were leading to their greater use and in turn contributing to a rise in energy consumption and greenhouse gases.

But he added new refrigeration appliances were generally better at using less power.

Mr McLaren went on: "A positive effect is that people replace their older appliances with more energy efficient ones.

"However, on the market today are large American-style fridges - the ones with ice making machines - and these do use a lot of power."

He said earlier concerns about harmful emissions from the white goods persist.

Mr McLaren said: "They still contain substances that are ozone-decaying and there are very powerful greenhouse gases in the coolant system and the foams used to insulate the fridges and freezers."

He added: "In these vicious circle scenarios, you also have a situation where warmer temperatures are leading to offices to install air conditioning systems which are another large energy consumer."

Mr McLaren said harmful emissions being produced today posed a dire threat to the environment in 20-25 years time.

'Very warm'

Electrical goods retailer Comet has reported a huge surge in sales in recent weeks.

Michelle Gorringe-Smith, head of white goods, said: "Over the summer period high temperatures sustained over a period of time or significant fluctuations in temperature can lead to older fridges breaking down.

"This tends to apply to fridges that are nearing the end of their eight-10 year life span.

"This combined with the fact that customers in hot weather are looking for additional refrigeration space is the reason that electrical specialist Comet would expect to see sales increase over the summer."

She added: "In the last four weeks sales of fridges are up 115% and this trend is set to rise along with our thermometers".

The Met Office said there was a 70% chance of the weather staying dry over the next few days.

Chief forecaster Chris Tubbs said: "Expect the very warm conditions to continue into next week, with perhaps the hottest days of the summer so far and a 20% chance of reaching 30C."