Morrisons has initiated a groundbreaking trial, increasing freezer temperatures from -18°C to -15°C in ten UK stores to explore energy savings and emissions reduction.
This move marks the first departure by a UK supermarket from the industry standard, which has remained unchanged for nearly a century. The Bradford-based retailer will implement this trial across a diverse geographical spread, from Scotland to the south of England, to evaluate various weather patterns and supply routes before any potential wider rollout.
The initiative is supported by Birds Eye and forms part of the Move to Minus 15°C Coalition, which includes logistics firms DP World, Blue Water, and Danish Crown. According to a report for the Cop28 climate crisis conference by academics at the University of Birmingham and Heriot-Watt University, raising freezer temperatures by 3°C across global supply chains could save 8.6% of the energy consumed in the UK and cut carbon emissions equivalent to removing 3.8 million cars from the road.
An 18-month study by Nomad Foods, along with Campden BRI, found that increasing freezer temperatures from -18°C to -15°C can reduce energy consumption by 10% to 11% without compromising food safety, texture, taste, or nutritional value. Ruth McDonald, corporate services director at Morrisons, stated: “The standard temperature for the storage and transport of frozen food today looks like it is simply a convention from nearly 100 years ago. We now have vastly better freezers and modern technology and monitoring that gives us a precise picture of frozen food temperatures throughout the supply chain.”
Morrisons, which has faced challenges in the grocery market since a debt-fuelled takeover nearly three years ago, aims to utilise cost savings from this initiative to maintain competitive pricing for shoppers and support its goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2035. Thomas Eskesen, chair of the Move to Minus 15°C Coalition, praised the initiative: “To have a large UK retailer like Morrisons on board is an important step forward.” Stefan Descheemaeker, CEO of Nomad Foods, added: “We know from our study that increasing the temperature at which we store frozen food can significantly reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. Establishing an end-to-end frozen industry alliance to put our findings into action will be the key to unlocking widespread change.”
Morrisons’ trial to increase freezer temperatures represents a significant shift in the supermarket industry, with potential benefits for both cost savings and carbon emissions reduction. The outcomes of this trial could pave the way for a new standard in frozen food storage and transportation.
