Sept. 22, 2014: Natural Refrigerants Make Sense in Supermarket Applications, Says Carrier Study
Survey Provides Insights from European Food Retail Professionals
COLOGNE, Germany — Almost two-thirds of large supermarkets surveyed in northern and western European countries now use natural refrigerants in their stores, according to a new report issued by Carrier Commercial Refrigeration, Europe. The research finds that this trend is being driven by industrywide sustainability policies that are outpacing European Union (EU) legislation. The study, developed in partnership with market development company shecco, seeks to provide a clear picture of the key drivers and the challenges for European food retailers.
The study of mostly large food retailers in Germany, France, Denmark, Norway, and the United Kingdom found 65 percent of respondents had begun to implement natural refrigerant technology in their stores. Fueled by a combination of market and policy influences and technology advances, the shift to natural refrigerants has strengthened the position of many retailers relative to the newly revised European Union F-gas Regulation, which imposes a phase-down scheme and restrictions on use of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants.