Morrisons raises freezer temperatures in drive to net zero
Morrisons has announced that it has become the first UK retailer to take action with the Move to -15°C Coalition which aims to reset frozen food temperature standards to reduce greenhouse gases and lower supply chain costs.
The supermarket has now turned the freezers up in 10 stores by three degrees.
Recent studies have shown that an increase of just three degrees in freezer temperatures across the supply chain will transform the global logistics landscape by cutting carbon emissions, saving energy and lowering costs.
In signing the Move to -15°C coalition’s letter of intent, Morrisons has committed to advocate through the UK supply chain for food producers, logistics operations and retailers to join the coalition.
Ruth McDonald, Morrisons group corporate services director, explained: “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 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.”
Thomas Eskesen, chairman of the Move to -15°C Coalition, added: “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.”
