Retail stores : CO2 emissions reduction commitments in UK and France

In the UK, a BRC report reveals that in their commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% in 2013 (relative to floor space) compared to 2005, retailers have so far achieved reductions of 37% per m2 (25% in absolute terms). The leading UK retailers have committed to address the impact of refrigeration as it contributes by 15 to 30% to the total carbon footprint of grocery retailers. The major source of emissions is leakage of HFC refrigerants and some retailers have committed to eliminating HFC systems altogether. Other approaches include improving the efficiency of fridges by installing doors, capturing cold air spillage from open-front refrigeration cases and redistributing it to areas of the store that require cooling, and recovering heat from the refrigeration system to heat the aisle space. The BRC calls for stronger economic incentives to adopt natural refrigerants.