Retailers have been upgrading their refrigeration to cut energy consumption, improve food quality and create a better shopping experience.
There’s no stopping the march of time and, as April looms, retailers must accept the reality of increased wages and Employers’ National Insurance Contributions. But while some cost rises are out of your control, it makes sense to minimise those that are within your grasp.
Considering refrigeration is by far the biggest energy guzzler in food retail, it makes sense to curb its seemingly insatiable appetite by investing in energy efficient technology.
The Motor Fuel Group (MFG) fuel station in Seaford, East Sussex, did just that, thanks to The Jordon Group, which replaced two old refrigeration cabinets with new, highly efficient closed-door display chillers.
Additionally, the firm retrofitted four existing cabinets to enhance their efficiency. “All the equipment was upgraded with RDM technology, enabling efficient and precise monitoring,” explains the company. “This ensures that the forecourt operates at optimal efficiency, contributing to a more sustainable environment.”
The firm claims that the upgrade “perfectly illustrates” how even minor asset management and refurbishment efforts can significantly impact energy reduction and sustainability.
Equipment failure
Meanwhile, DoubleCOOL has been working its magic at Brunel Costcutter in Uxbridge West London, which is operated by Brunel University. The 1,600sq ft shop is open for 15 hours a day midweek, and from 9.30am to 7pm at weekends and processes a massive 750,000 transactions a year. This high throughput was putting an immense amount of pressure on the store’s existing chillers and, during hot spells over the summer, the 25.6m of Arneg open chillers were breaching the temperature threshold recorded by the data loggers and frequently setting off the chiller alarms. This, alongside chiller breakdowns, was causing frustration for customers, stress for staff and creating food wastage, plus concerns over food quality.
In August 2024, the store sought advice from Costcutter, which suggested retrofitting DoubleCOOL acrylic fridge doors to the problematic chillers. A site survey was undertaken, and a proposal was made to install 41 swing doors to the open chillers. Recognising that the benefits of the DoubleCOOL solution outweighed the capital cost, purchase approval was gained from the university.
During mid-October, the DoubleCOOL team fitted the doors over a weekend when the store was less busy, to minimise impact on shoppers. By Monday morning the store opened as usual, with warmer aisles and sleek fridge doors, which led to some customers to think that the chillers were brand new.
Remarkable results
Since installation, the store hasn’t experienced any chiller breakdowns, fridge temperatures have remained constant, food wastage has reduced, and customers are happy to shop without the annoyance of chiller alarms ringing.
“The installation of DoubleCOOL doors has truly revitalised our chillers,” says Arnaud Leudjou, Head of Retail at Brunel University.
“Before we made this upgrade, the temperature of our chillers would fluctuate unpredictably relative to varying weather conditions, making it challenging to keep our chilled food items within the necessary legal temperature limits, especially on hot days.
“However, since the installation, we’ve experienced a remarkable stability in our chiller temperatures. Both our staff and customers have noticed another benefit: the doors help maintain a more comfortable temperature on the shop floor. I am also eager to see how this improvement will positively affect our utility consumption rates moving forward.
“Overall, the transformation has been outstanding!”
