The cooler shades are from Phoenix, Arizona-based Supermarket Energy Technologies, according to a story in Wednesday's Arizona Republic.
As pictured above, the cooler shades go over the front of the case. They keep the cool air from getting out of the refrigeration case, both when the store is open and when it's closed at night. Grocers believe open refrigeration cases tend to spur more impulse sales from shoppers, but they also use much more energy than closed door units. The refrigeration case shades are designed to decrease the amount of energy used, while still allowing easy-access by shoppers to the products on the refrigeration case shelves. (Read the full story here.)
Picture: Arizona Republic. Dan Bunch, president of the company that makes the cooler shades, poses with the shaded refrigeration cases in a Fresh & Easy store in the Poenix, Arizona region.
We don't actually use the coolers shades during store open hours, they are used during the night only, when the store is closed, as per the AZ central article.
ReplyDeleteBecause the shades are not see-through, it would be impossible for customers to see what they wish to purchase if we were to leave them down. The savings from overnight use is still very large though, and a great thing to see the company doing!