A supermarket in Manchester has left some locals agape after pictures emerged showing staff piling heaps of fresh produce into waste carts after fridges failed on Monday night.
It is understood that some refrigeration units at Tesco in Stretford failed on Monday after a day of soaring temperatures across the region brought highs of over 35C.
Images shared with The Manc show large amounts of food being emptied out of fridges and dumped into wire carts at Stretford Tesco as aisles were blocked off.
After speaking with customers who were there, The Manc understands that much of this produce was marked as waste and then thrown away.
This is in line with existing hygiene regulations, which mean that food that hasn’t been able to be stored at the correct temperatures must be removed from sale – either to additional cool space or to be disposed of entirely .
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Still, some who witnessed it were left in shock at the amount of food being wasted at a time when many are struggling to feed their families.
A customer who wished to remain anonymous told The Manc: “Stretford Tesco’s fridges broke and they were piling the contents of every fridge into trolleys to bin it all.
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“I felt sick. There wasn’t a single fridge with stuff in and it’s a giant Tesco.”
Image: The Manc Group
They added: “We thought maybe the temperature was too warm in there and it brought the temperatures of the fridges up too much to be able to keep things at the right temperature.”
Elsewhere, at another large Tesco store in Prestwich, produce was seen being taken out of freezers but staff told customers that it was not being thrown away but rather stored in the back to keep it cool.
— Maze of Deception (@MazeofDeception) July 18, 2022
Images shared on Twitter suggest that the problem is not unique to Manchester but is happening across the country, with some social media users speculating that thousands of pounds worth of produce has been binned as a result.
One user wrote: “All the fridges and freezers in the big Tesco have stopped working due to the heat #BigTroubleInBigTesco.”
It is not the first time that such an issue has occurred at the supermarket, with similar reports often cropping up in previous years whenever there has been a surge in temperatures.
Legally here in the UK, supermarkets are well within their rights to destroy unsold food but some campaigners have argued that the law should be changed to make such food waste illegal.
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According to food waste charity Fairbite, 250,000 tons of food is thrown away in the UK each year by supermarkets whilst at the same time some citizens find themselves facing hunger as they do not have the money to feed themselves.
In France, there are new laws on fighting food waste that mean French supermarkets are forbidden from destroying unsold food products and are instead compelled to donate it to charities.
Image: The Manc Group
Since this law was introduced in France in 2016, food poverty campaigners in the UK have argued that similar measures should be adopted here to prevent edible food being wasted when millions of people are going hungry.
According to the Food Foundation, a total of 7.3 million adults and 2.6 million children experienced food poverty in April 2022.
A Tesco spokesperson said: “Some refrigeration and freezer units at our Stretford Extra store are currently being worked on at by our maintenance teams who will get them back up and running as soon as possible.
“We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
Feature image – The Manc Group
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Man jailed after killing three-year-old girl in crash between van and tram in Manchester city centre
Emily Sergeant
A man has been jailed after killing a three-year-old little girl in a crash between a van and a tram in Manchester city centre.
It comes after emergency services responded to reports of a road traffic collision involving a tram and a van in Mosley Street in Manchester city centre at around 10am on Saturday (22 February), where it was found that the Mercedes van collided with the tram, forcing the van onto the pavement where it collided with a pedestrian.
The pedestrian, a three-year-old girl, was rushed to hospital shortly after, but despite the best efforts of all involved, sadly passed away from her injuries.
She was later named as Louisa (Lulu) Palmisano.
The driver – who was later named as Rawal Rehman, of Lambton Road in Manchester – left his vehicle and fled the scene in a taxi, but was subsequently arrested in a restaurant two days after the incident (24 February) after officers traced him through documents found in his van.
He was arrested for causing death by dangerous driving, and chose to plead guilty to the charge at Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday 22 April, before his sentencing took place today (27 May).
A man has been jailed after killing a three-year-old girl in crash between a van and a tram / Credit: The Manc Group | GMP
Rehman has been sentenced to 12 years in prison, as was also disqualified for 13 years and eight months until he passes a further test.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said the tragedy was ‘completely avoidable’ and that Rehman’s ‘callous actions’ on that fatal day have changed a family’s lives forever, so he must now ‘face the consequences’ of his actions.
Lulu’s family also shared a powerful victim impact statement.
“Lulu was our only child and the centre of our world,” the statement reads. “Her joyful spirit, vivid imagination, and kind heart touched everyone who knew her. At just three years old, she brought more light and love than we ever thought possible. Her life was full of promise, and her loss is something we will carry with us for the rest of our lives.
“No parent should ever have to witness the death of their child. The impact of that single, devastating moment has rippled through every part of our existence, emotionally, physically, and financially.
“Our lives have changed beyond recognition.”
#JAILED | Rawal Rehman (28/11/1988) was sentenced to 12 years at Manchester Crown Court today for causing the death by dangerous driving of three-year-old Louisa (Lulu) Palmisano.
Rehman was arrested by officers two days after the fled the scene.
“Lulu’s memory lives on in us – in every act of kindness, in every moment of courage, and in every step we take forward. We will continue to speak her name, to celebrate who she was, and to ensure that her light is never forgotten.”
Featured Image – GMP
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A premium car brand is opening up its first-ever UK city garage in Manchester
Danny Jones
Premium performance car brand, CUPRA, is set to open its first-ever UK city centre garage right here in Manchester next month.
It’s just their 12th British branch and will be one of their most impressive yet.
CUPRA, which primarily makes its models in Spain, is one of the fastest-growing manufacturers in Europe, especially in the performance market, and has recently launched in the likes of Mexico City and Sydney too.
Now set to open their latest location here in England this June, the new CUPRA space is set to be more than just your average garage/car showroom.
Due to open up on St. Ann Street (Manchester M2 7LP) next to the city centre square of the same name, the premium dealer is promising more than just a space to show off their cars.
As per an official statement, it will be “a bold new destination that blends Mediterranean attitude with Manchester’s disruptive spirit.”
Detailing that they chose our home due to its “unrivalled cultural impact and creative energy”, they went on to describe Greater Manchester as a “high-impact cultural hub rooted in music, design, wellness, food, and electrifying performance, it’s designed to connect people, ideas, and communities.”
The press release goes on to explain that at the core of CUPRA’s Manchester launch will be their new ‘Counter Culture‘ calendar of immersive experiences and events, with this new venue looking to innovate when it comes to programming and collaborations with Manchester independents and more.
CUPRA have steadily been announcing their arrival in town via various special activations, but come 26 June, they’ll be here full-time.
The CUPRA Dark Rebel landed on UK shores recently at Diecast Manchester!
Speaking about the launch, Marcus Gossen, CUPRA UK Brand Director, said: “Manchester was the natural destination for the latest CUPRA City Garage. The desire to continually evolve and transform is something we share with this great city, as well as its disruptive spirit.”
Having surpassed 800,000 cars sold worldwide and boasting big sponsorship deals with famous athletes like FC Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas, not to mention being a leading partner of the rising Baller League competition, their presence in the UK is growing, and fast.
To mark the occasion here in 0161, a special launch event with live music, entertainment, as well as food and drink, will be taking place; the lineup is still yet to be announced.
Once again, CUPRA Manchester – their first UK city garage and showroom – opens in 2–14 St. Ann Street on Thursday, 26 June.
Georgina Pellant -
19th July 2022 
