THE British Refrigeration Association has slammed a recent survey by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) into supermarket refrigeration systems, which criticised supermarkets for the global warming impact of their refrigeration systems.
Called the Chilling Facts, the report was based on a survey of 11 top UK supermarkets who were sent a questionnaire asking them about their use of HFCs and what they are doing to reduce the climate change impacts of their refrigeration by changing to natural refrigerants.

Marks & Spencer were given marks for their efforts to improve, but none of the supermarkets fared well in the EIA survey, with Lidl, Aldi and Iceland being placed bottom for failing to respond to the survey.

Describing the survey as 'limited and less than impartial', the BRA has hit back, accusing the EIA of bias and of incorrectly evaluating the situation.

'The wording and presentation of what is erroneously called a report was reminiscent of the worst of sensational tabloid journalism,' said BRA's director general Cedric Sloan.

He said 'It failed to recognise, and therefore acknowledge, the huge achievements in energy efficiency both by the refrigeration equipment suppliers and the supermarkets themselves.

'Instead it focused on the potential global warming impact of HFC refrigerants should they be released to atmosphere, rather than the real benefits of using these safe and efficient gases to save carbon emissions in professionally designed and installed systems', added Sloan.