Morrisons is trialling an innovative approach to saving energy and cutting costs by raising the temperature of its fridge freezers by 3 degrees Celsius.
The move represents the first deviation by a UK supermarket from the industry standard, which has remained unchanged for almost a century.
The Bradford-based retailer will increase the freezing temperatures from -18C to -15C in ten stores across the UK, stretching from Scotland to the south of England. This geographical spread ensures the trial assesses different weather patterns and supply routes ahead of any potential wider rollout.
The initiative is supported by Birds Eye, the UK’s largest frozen food brand, which is part of the -15C Action Coalition. Other members of the coalition include logistics companies DP World and Blue Water, and Danish Crown, a bacon retailer.
A recent report from the Cop28 climate crisis conference, by academics from the University of Birmingham and Heriot-Watt University, suggests that a 3C increase in freezing temperatures across global supply chains could save 8.6% of the UK’s energy consumption and cut carbon emissions equivalent to taking 3.8 million cars off the road.
An 18-month study by Birds Eye parent company Nomad Foods, in collaboration with food science and technology organisation Campden BRI, found that raising freezer temperatures from -18°C to -15°C could reduce energy consumption by 10% to 11%, without compromising food safety, texture, taste or nutritional value.
Morrisons, which has faced challenges in the grocery market since it was acquired with debt funds nearly three years ago, hopes the cost savings from the initiative will help keep prices low for shoppers and support its goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions from its operations by 2035.
“The standard temperature for storing and transporting frozen food today seems like a tradition dating back nearly 100 years,” said Ruth MacDonald, corporate services director at Morrisons. “We now have much better fridges, modern technology and monitoring that gives us an accurate picture of the temperatures of frozen food throughout the supply chain.”
Thomas Essexsen, chair of the -15C Action Coalition, praised the initiative: “Having a major UK retailer like Morrisons on board with this initiative is an important step forward.”
“We know from our study that increasing the temperature at which we store frozen foods can significantly reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions,” added Stefan Deschemaeker, CEO of Nomad Foods. “Creating a comprehensive frozen food industry coalition to put our findings into practice will be key to making a big difference.”
**Description:** Morrisons is testing raising freezer temperatures by 3°C in a bid to save energy and cut costs, with support from Birds Eye and the Move to Minus 15°C coalition. Find out how it could impact the future of the frozen food industry.