M&S to roll-out LED lighting

UK: Marks & Spencer is to continue trials of liquid-nitrogen-refrigerated trailers and roll out LED lighting over the next two years.

The announcement, part of its Plan A 2020 sustainable business programme, means LED lights in 100 M&S Simply Food stores and a further 300 Food Halls and Simply Food stores will receive LED lighting for their refrigeration units.

In addition, M&S has added 14 trailers using liquid nitrogen refrigeration.

LED lighting was first trialled at the M&S eco store in Sheffield in 2011. It has since been trialled in 12 other stores, with energy reduction of around 20% proving the business case for a roll out to all M&S-owned Food Halls and Simply Food stores. 

Linde’s Frostcruise indirect cryogenic refrigeration system has been trialled over the last 12 months. The trailers, which operate out of M&S’ distribution centre in Hemel Hempstead and deliver to stores around London, are better for the environment, emitting 62% less CO2 over their lifetime and zero at point of use. There is also a noise pollution benefit with the trailers running virtually silent.

The viability of the trailers to replace the 670 diesel fuelled M&S food delivery trailers will be assessed over a number of years. It is estimated over 6,000 tonnes of CO2 (around 1% of M&S’ total emissions) could be removed from M&S’ carbon footprint if the vehicles are successful.