// BBC BUSINESS NEWS — FINANZA
Could heatwaves make your food shop more expensive?
Fridges and freezers in some supermarkets have stopped working during heatwaves, but that is not the only worry for shoppers
While this summer's hot and dry weather might be enjoyed by sunbathers, it is less than ideal for farmers. Could it also have an effect on the prices we pay for food at the shops?
A chilled supermarket aisle might just be the most comfortable place to be as heatwaves continue to warm up the UK.
Fridges are working in overdrive to keep produce cool, shutters are being pulled down to keep the hot air at bay, and some goods are being taken off the shelves on the hottest days.
More than half of England has entered drought conditions, according to a declaration by the Environment Agency last week.
But as temperatures continue to soar, the chillers are not the only thing that retailers might be adjusting.
Extreme weather creates a knock-on effect on all parts of the supply chain, and the British Retail Consortium is warning that could force prices up.
A supply chain involves a small number of stages, from a product being made until it gets to the shops for people to buy.
If you take a loaf of bread as an example, first the grain is grown, harvested, milled and stored until it is ready to be taken to a factory.
Those ingredients are used to bake and package the bread, which is taken to warehouses before eventually ending up on supermarket shelves.