E.Leclerc, Carrefour, Système U, Les Mousquetaires Intermarché, Auchan, Casino, Franprix, Monoprix, Lidl or even Picard… the retail sector has agreed on a “energy sobriety” which will be rolled out in the fall, according to a statement released Monday, July 18.
“Faced with the risk of electricity supply shortages announced by the government for this winter”the Perifem federation, which brings together all of the distribution players to act on energy or environmental issues, has defined “common and concrete measures” to reduce energy consumption in stores, starting October 15.
It is planned to turn off the illuminated signs “as soon as the store closes” – compared to generally one hour after closing at present – and “systematize the reduction in light intensity”by reducing the lighting of the sales area by half before the arrival of the public and by 30% during “critical periods of consumption”. Are also planned “other measures”as “the cut in air renewal at night, the shift in ice production”for example, and emergency measures providing, in particular, to lower the temperature of points of sale to 17 degrees, in the event of a request from a regulatory authority.
Emmanuel Macron explained on July 14 that the State was preparing a “sobriety plan” energy to deal with the risk of shortage linked to the war in Ukraine, calling for “collectively return to a logic of sobriety”.
40% reduction in consumption by 2030
These measures are also cost-saving measures for brands, which are, like the French, faced with rising energy costs.
Whereas “the electricity bill represented 30%” of the net income of the brands “before the recent spikes in energy costs”It is “essential to reduce the energy bill and to mobilize together to avoid too significant an impact on prices for consumers”recognizes the federation, while the ELAN law (evolution of housing, development and digital technology) also provides for a reduction in the energy consumption of stores by 40% by 2030.
“It’s time for energy sobriety, this will profoundly change our consumption habits”estimates in the press release of Perifem its president, Thierry Cotillard, for whom this protocol “must be long term”.
The federation also wants to believe that this protocol can be used “basic to all trade and distribution federations for the generalization of these measures”which will be presented to them “at a meeting on July 26”.