Ocado warns over sales hit after huge warehouse fire

Online grocer Ocado has seen shares slump after it warned over a hit to sales following a huge fire which swept through its warehouse in Hampshire.

The group’s shares dropped 6% as it said it would see a fall in sales growth until it can shift operations to other warehouses following the fire at its Andover site, which took more than 24 hours to get under control.

Ocado said the hi-tech robotic warehouse in Andover provided around 10% of its current capacity and its shutdown means there will be a “constraint on our ability to meet our growing customer demand”.

It added: “There will be a reduction in sales growth until we can increase capacity elsewhere.”

Around 200 firefighters have been tackling the blaze which broke out at 2.44am on Tuesday morning and spread overnight, causing substantial damage.

Ocado said part of the roof collapsed overnight, but it confirmed no members of the Ocado team or the public were injured.