In a bid to reduce carbon emissions, Morrisons has signed the Move to -15°C Coalition’s letter of intent and taken the initial steps to progress.
Morrisons has become the first UK retailer to take action with the Move to -15°C Coalition, making the first concrete move on 1 August 2024 by increasing the freezer temperatures in 10 stores by three degrees.
Recent comprehensive academic studies have shown that raising freezer temperatures across the supply chain by just three degrees can revolutionise global logistics by reducing carbon emissions, saving energy, and lowering costs. A worldwide adoption of this 3°C change could result in energy savings equivalent to 8.6 percent of the UK’s energy consumption and reduce carbon emissions comparable to removing 3.8 million cars from the roads.
By signing the Move to -15°C Coalition’s letter of intent, Morrisons is also pledging to advocate within the UK supply chain for food producers, logistics operators, and retailers to join the coalition.
For Morrisons, the carbon savings will significantly contribute to its goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions from its own operations by 2035. Additionally, the considerable cost savings will enable Morrisons to further reduce, maintain, or promote prices in its approximately 500 supermarkets and 1,600 convenience stores across the UK over the long term.
Ruth McDonald, Morrisons Group Corporate Services Director, stated: “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.”
Thomas Eskesen, Chairman of the Move to -15°C Coalition, remarked: “We are delighted to welcome Morrisons to our Coalition, and are excited that they are taking action. In order for us to be successful with making the change to -15°C, it is essential that we have representatives and support from every stage of the frozen food supply chain, so to have a large UK retailer like Morrisons on board is an important step forward for us.
“By raising the temperature of its freezers in 10 of its stores across the UK, Morrisons is demonstrating that change is possible, and we know that this seemingly small change can lead to a significant, positive environmental impact.”
