Some European retailers are shutting off lights and possibly reducing their hours this winter as energy costs rise and the possibility of rationing grows.
Energy executives and government representatives have urged citizens and businesses to consume less electricity and to set up backup plans so they won’t be as dependent on gas imports in the event of shortages brought on by the conflict in Ukraine.
According to a spokesman who sent an email, the SPAR Group Austria branch is lowering the number of hours that its more than 1,500 stores and the area around them are lit.
The change will save the store one million kilowatt hours of energy each year, according to the representative, who did not specify how much money would be saved.
Leclerc’s CEO issued a warning last month, stating that in order to address power shortages, France’s largest grocery retailer would shorten store hours.
A little more than a week ago, rival French supermarket chain Carrefour and national energy grid operator RTE signed an “EcoWatt Charter,” which reduced electricity use in its stores during times of peak demand.
Due to current sustainable energy programs that preserve power, several merchants, like Belgium’s Colruyt and Ahold, may be partially protected from any disruptions and higher prices.
A Colruyt representative stated, “No tangible actions are planned in the near future, but the solid objective is to continue the efforts as part of our overall energy policy. For this reason, instead of using illuminated signs, we use closed freezers, a cold room, etc.
According to the spokesman, the company has 44 “zero fossil fuel” stores that don’t utilize fuel oil or natural gas and are totally heated by waste heat and green power.
According to CEO Frans Muller, Ahold is likewise searching for methods to reduce its energy use.
We haven’t made any judgments regarding hours of operation, but we’re paying considerably greater attention to energy usage, he said.
The corporation already has several gas-saving initiatives in place, such as converting all of its Albert Heijn stores to renewable energy by the end of the next year.
