Morrisons moves to -15°C freezer temperatures

UK: Morrisons claims to be the first UK retailer to move its frozen food temperatures from -18°C to -15°C in 10 of its stores. 

The decision to increase the temperature of freezers by 3ºC is in response to recent studies which have shown such a move would save a significant amount of energy without impacting food safety.

It is predicted that the widespread global adoption of the higher temperature across the supply chain would mean potential savings equivalent to 8.6% of the UK’s energy consumption, and reduce carbon emissions equivalent to taking 3.8 million cars off the road.

Most frozen food is transported and stored at -18°C, a standard that was set 93 years ago and has not changed since. 

Coalition

A coalition formed in November last year and led by Dubai-based multinational logistics company DP World was backed by a number of leading industry organisations including AJC Group, AP Moller – Maersk, Daikin, the Global Cold Chain Alliance, Kuehne + Nagel, Lineage, Mediterranean Shipping Company and Ocean Network Express. 

Appropriately dubbed the Move to -15°C, the initiative sought to create a just transition, deploying accessible storage technologies globally to freeze food at sustainable temperatures to reduce food scarcity for vulnerable and developed communities alike. 

In signing the Move to -15°C coalition’s letter of intent, Morrisons says it is also committing to advocate through the UK supply chain for food producers, logistics operations and retailers to join the coalition.

Morrisons insists that its own carbon savings will be an important boost to its ambitions to achieve net zero carbon emissions from its own operations by 2035. In addition, the significant cost savings will enable Morrisons to further cut, hold or promote prices in its 500 supermarkets and 1,600 convenience stores across the UK over the long term.

Ruth McDonald, Morrisons Group corporate services director insisted that industry standards today are based on safety, science or convenience, making the current standard temperature for the storage and transport of frozen food looks like “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,” she said.  

“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,” she added.

Morrisons says it is putting together a concrete plan and timetable to increase the freezer temperatures across its stores and frozen supply chain and will be encouraging its suppliers and partners to do likewise.

Recent research by the International Institute of Refrigeration, the University of Birmingham and London South Bank University, among others, found that the small change to -15ºC would also create energy savings of around 25TW/h – equivalent to 8.63% of the UK’s annual energy consumption – and cut costs in the supply chain by up to 12%.