The Impact of Innovation: How New Merchandisers and Low GWP Solutions Help Retailers Succeed
Do you understand how the new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules related to low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants will impact your store? And are you prepared to comply?
Those are questions that every grocery retailer should be considering, with a particular focus on how those rules will affect merchandisers in their stores.
“The EPA’s Technology Transition rule mandates that all new equipment will have to meet specific Subsector GWP limits,” says Mike Schafer, VP Core & Distributed Products for Hussmann. “As it relates to retail food refrigeration, the EPA defined the subsectors as Stand Alone/Self-Contained Equipment, Remote Condensing Units and Supermarket Systems.
”While the new GWP limits will give retailers a narrower list of refrigerant options, Schafer expects them to spur innovation too.
New Products = Better Energy Outcomes
Hussmann’s new Insight Reach-in merchandiser (at top) — compatible with R-744 (CO2) and the proposed SNAP 26 refrigerants — is an example of how the company achieves bestin-class innovations in merchandising while meeting energy efficiency needs. The unit’s no-heat, glass door maximizes the viewable product area, offers increased pack-out and lowers energy consumption, too.
“Even with a great pack-out, the new merchandiser uses 25 percent less energy as compared to those with conventional heated doors and reduces in service costs due to the improved reliability,” Schafer says, noting that those benefits “will have a very favorable impact of reducing total cost of ownership.”
With a GWP of 1, CO2 is an excellent option for remote merchandisers such as the Insight Reach-in — an area expected to see continued innovation and growth in the coming years.
Another low GWP merchandising solution is R-290 (propane) self-contained cases. Hussmann’s SIM (Specialty Island Merchandiser) uses less than 10 kWh per day and plugs into a standard outlet. Its design provides retailers exceptional flexibility for displaying products throughout the store and comes in a range of sizes.
Other expected developments include the design of A2L compatible merchandisers.
Preparing for the New EPA Requirements
These new EPA rules can be complicated to follow. From entire store Low GWP refrigeration systems to compliant merchandising cases, Hussmann partners with its customers to find the most energy efficient solutions for each retailer.
For a quick recap, here are the compliance deadlines for each type:
RETAIL FOOD REFRIGERATION EQUIPMENT | REGULATION EFFECTIVE DATE |
Stand-alone Units | January 1, 2025 |
Remote Condensing Units | January 1, 2026 |
Supermarket Systems | January 1, 2027 |
Earlier this year, Hussmann launched its comprehensive Evolve Technologies portfolio—including core and specialty merchandisers; refrigeration systems including Transcritical CO2; and products featuring natural solutions with CO2 and R-290, as well as low GWP A2L’s.
TO LEARN HOW HUSSMANN CAN HELP YOUR STORE COMPLY WITH NEW EPA REQUIREMENTS AND SAVE ENERGY, VISIT Hussmann.com OR CONTACT YOUR HUSSMANN SALES REPRESENTATIVE.