Metro Russia has implemented a more sustainable cooling system in its store in the Moscow district of Aparinki. The move is part of Metro's 2030 plan to save 50% CO2 per square metre in its stores.
The wholesaler is betting big on transcritical cooling systems, which use carbon dioxide (CO2) as a refrigerant instead of the fluorinated gases (F-gases) usually used in cooling systems.
"Today we are one of the most advanced trading companies using this technology in Russia," commented Olaf Schulze, director of energy management at Metro AG. "For us at Metro, the store opening in Aparinki is also an important milestone in our global F-gas exit program,"
Upgrading The Network
The company plans to update all its Russia stores to using transcritical cooling systems in the coming fiscal year.
Those changes are crucial if Metro wants to reach its goals of saving 50% CO2 per square meter of selling space, as Schulze explained.
"We move forward step by step," he said. "More than 170 Metro stores worldwide already use natural refrigerants. This puts us well on track to achieve our company's own climate targets by 2030."
CO2 Reductions
Metro already seems to be on the right track in this regard, since as of the previous fiscal year, the retailer had already reduced its own CO2 emissions by 21%. The retailer recently opened a zero-energy store in Austria.
Metro is also testing other improvements to its operating systems, including the use of glass doors for deep-freeze shelves with special layer materials that remove the 'fog' on display windows.
The need to test and experiment various techniques is a key part of reaching the company's environmental goals.
"To implement these projects, we have to consider the entire supply chain, the technology, experienced installers and an efficient and safe maintenance and repair process," said Schultze. "Our refrigeration systems are the backbone for the sale of food in our stores. We cannot afford to compromise here."
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Matthieu Chassain. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
