European Food Retailers at Varying Stages of Natural Refrigerant Transition, Finds EIA

European food retailers are making uneven progress in phasing out HFC-based cooling systems, with some leading the way in transitioning to natural refrigerants, according to a new report from the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA).

The report, “Cooling the Climate Crisis”, evaluates the emissions and sustainable cooling efforts of five major food retailers operating across Europe: Ahold Delhaize, Carrefour, Metro, Jerónimo Martins and Tesco. It has found that cooling-related emissions – mainly from energy use and refrigerant leaks – can account for up to 70% of a supermarket’s Scope 1 and 2 emissions.

Alongside emissions data, the EIA has assessed each company’s sustainable cooling targets and their progress toward meeting them, aiming to spotlight best practices and identify critical gaps.

“Some retailers are distinguishing themselves through notable progress in reducing HFC emissions,” said the EIA, noting that sustainable cooling is increasingly viewed as a marker of climate leadership and a factor in investor risk.

“EIA’s analysis shows that investing in sustainable cooling is a no-brainer,” noted EIA Senior Climate Campaigner Fionnuala Walravens. “Supermarkets that continue to buy new HFC-based equipment risk stranded assets due to spiralling refrigerant costs and potential regulatory penalties.”

The analysis is based on 2023 Carbon Disclosure Project data – reflecting 2022 performance – company surveys and public disclosures. Notably, Carrefour and Ahold Delhaize declined to participate in the survey, while Tesco withdrew after initial engagement.

The EIA classifies low-GWP refrigerants as those with a GWP of less than 5.

“EIA’s analysis shows that investing in sustainable cooling is a no-brainer. Supermarkets that continue to buy new HFC-based equipment risk stranded assets due to spiralling refrigerant costs and potential regulatory penalties.”

Fionnuala Walravens, Senior Climate Campaigner at EIA

Metro AG: The international wholesaler operates 624 stores across 21 countries and is targeting a 90% phase-down of HFCs globally by 2030 and a full phase out by 2040.

• In 2023, Metro reduced its Scope 1 refrigerant emissions by 45%, largely due to a rapid phase out of HCFCs and HFCs in its non-EU stores, according to the EIA report.
• As of 2024, over 50% of Metro’s stores were using natural refrigerants, including 266 stores located in non-EU countries like Serbia and Slovakia, where HFC regulations are less stringent. Moldova’s operations are now entirely HFC-free, with similar conversions planned for France and Slovakia by 2026. All of Metro’s distribution centers use natural refrigerants.
• The company has committed €1.1 billion ($1.3 billion) to support the transition and is further reducing cooling emissions through the installation of fridge doors and waste heat recovery systems.

Jerónimo Martins: With over 5,769 stores across Portugal, Poland – including the Biedronka brand – and Colombia Jerónimo Martins has committed to phasing out HFCs globally by 2035. According to the EIA, the company is well-positioned to drive natural refrigerant adoption in Latin America.

• Jerónimo Martins leads the five retailers in HFC-free adoption, with low-GWP refrigerants used in 57% of its stores. In Colombia, 97% of its 1,438 stores use low-GWP systems, primarily propane (R290) plug-ins.
• More than one-third of the company’s 24 distribution centers use low-GWP refrigerants, and 70% of its goods travel in shipping containers that use natural refrigerant-based technologies. Jerónimo Martins is also piloting CO₂ (R744) truck refrigeration through its logistics partners.
• Backed by an investment of €450–650 million ($528–763 million), the company outfitted 1,276 new or upgraded stores with low-GWP systems in 2022–2023. Additional energy efficiency measures include heat recovery in one-third of stores and fridge doors in 86% of locations.

Tesco: Tesco, one of the first major retailers to begin phasing out HFCs, has committed to eliminating them from all stores by 2035. The company operates over 4,700 locations across the U.K., Ireland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.

• As of 2022, around 33% of Tesco stores were using natural refrigerants. However, the EIA noted that the retailer’s withdrawal of 2023 emissions data has made it difficult to assess recent progress.
• The retailer is thought to be the only one using natural refrigerant-based technology in its transport fleet.
• In 2023, it allocated 4.7% of its capital expenditure – around €69.5 million ($81.5 million) annually – toward low-GWP refrigeration technologies.

Ahold Delhaize: Ahold Delhaize operates over 7,700 stores across Europe, the U.S. and Indonesia and has committed to phasing in low-GWP or natural refrigerants across its entire portfolio by 2040. The company has identified refrigeration as one of four key decarbonization levers in its climate transition plan.

• Only 40% of Ahold Delhaize’s stores in the EU use natural refrigerants. However, progress varies by region. In the Benelux area, for example, 84 of its 140 corporate-run stores – about 60% – have adopted transcritical CO₂ systems.
• Ahold Delhaize is the largest HFC emitter among the retailers analyzed, reporting Scope 1 refrigerant emissions of 1.32 million metric tons of CO₂ equivalent in 2023. Recent data shows a 9.4% reduction in refrigeration-related emissions from 2023 to 2024.
• The company has earmarked funds for its broader climate transition plan through 2028 but has not yet disclosed the estimated cost of a full-scale cooling transition.

Carrefour: Carrefour operates over 14,000 stores across 40 countries, with a strong footprint in Europe, Brazil and Argentina. The company launched its HFC phase-out plan in 2011, aiming to eliminate HFCs from its EU operations by 2030 and globally by 2040.

• Only 19% of Carrefour stores are HFC-free. In 2023, Carrefour recorded 680,000 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent in refrigerant emissions, accounting for 86% of its total Scope 1 emissions.
• The company has made significant progress in select markets, such as in Belgium, where 77% of Carrefour-owned stores now use transcritical CO₂ systems. Additional technologies like pressure exchangers and propane heat pumps have further helped reduce energy consumption in Belgian operations.
• To accelerate its transition, Carrefour has allocated €650 million ($762.6 million) to convert 406 hypermarkets in Europe to natural refrigerants. However, the company has not disclosed how many of its smaller-format stores still rely on HFC-based systems.
• Other measures include installing fridge doors to reduce energy loss and offering natural refrigerant training to technical staff.

The cost of inaction: Although natural refrigerant technologies are widely adopted across Europe and proven to be both energy-efficient and cost-effective, many retailers are still falling behind in phasing out HFCs, according to the EIA. The financial and environmental cost of inaction is significant, it added.

• Natural refrigerant systems typically offer payback periods of 4–10 years and can remain in use for 15 years or more, providing significant savings well beyond repayment. Carrefour, for example, has reported energy savings of 7–25% compared to older HFC systems, while Metro reports savings of up to 20%.
• With the EU phasing down HFCs under its revised F-gas Regulation, refrigerant prices are rising fast. Supermarkets often use 400–700 kg of HFCs annually for system refills. At the current price of R449a – a common HFC blend – of €50 ($58.70) per kg, that translates to up to €35,000 ($41,000) in refrigerant costs per store each year.
• Retailers that delay action also face steep regulatory risks. Carrefour, for instance, estimates the cost of non-compliance with the EU’s f-gas rules at around €100,000 ($117,000) per hypermarket. For its 406 European hyperstores still using HFCs, that could mean a potential liability of €40.6 million ($47.6 million).