Morrisons increases temperature of freezers to cut carbon emissions (2024)

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Morrisons is turning up the heat to combat climate change - quite literally.

The supermarket chain has announced that it is has turned some of its freezers up by 3°C in a trial to cut carbon emissions.

Morrisons, which believes it is the first UK retailer to take the action, said the current industry standard setting freezers to -18°C was set almost 100 years ago and had not been updated since, despite improvements in refrigeration.

Thankfully, it reassures that the move will not impact on food safety.

Speaking to MailOnline, Dr Christian Reynolds, Senior Lecturer in Food Policy at City, University of London, said: 'The UK's chill chain is very effective and so I think a three degree warming is not particularly an issue.'

Freezers in 10 stores across the country have undergone the change as the grocer takes different weather patterns and supply routes into account, with plans to roll out to other stores.

MailOnline has contacted Morrisons for the full list of stores affected.

Recent studies show that an increase of just 3°C in freezer temperatures across the supply chain would 'transform' global logistics by cutting carbon emissions, saving energy and lowering costs, the supermarket said.

Widespread global adoption of a change of just 3°Cacross the supply chain would mean potential savings equivalent to 8.6 per cent of the UK's energy consumption and could reduce carbon emissions equivalent to taking 3.8 million cars off the road, according to studies cited by the grocer.

Morrisons is calling on food producers, logistics operations and retailers across the UK supply chain to join the Move to -15°C Coalition.

It said the carbon savings would be an important boost to its ambitions to achieve net zero emissions from its own operations by 2035, while the related cost savings would enable it to cut, hold or promote prices across its 500 supermarkets and 1,600 convenience stores across the UK over the long term.

Ruth McDonald, Morrisons group corporate services director, said: 'Industry standards today are based on safety, science, or convenience. 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.

'We applaud the 'Move to -15°C' movement for their original thinking and willingness to challenge a long-accepted standard and in doing so identify a significant opportunity for positive progress for both the environment and the food industry.

'So, on behalf of our customers, our carbon commitments, and the planet we are enthusiastically embracing the opportunity and putting together a concrete plan and timetable to increase the freezer temperatures across our stores and frozen supply chain by 3°C.

'As we execute our plan, we will be encouraging our suppliers and partners to do the same.'

While Morrisons is turning up the temperature on its freezer, Dr Reynolds advises that households should actually consider turning down the temperature on their appliances.

'Adecrease in household fridges is also needed!' he told MailOnline.

'Many households run their fridges at six degrees centigrade, when our research (and best practice guidance) shows that fridges should be at five degrees or below.

'So the big message is increase the temperature in the freeze chain.Decrease the temperature at the household level.'