Leading High Street retailers are being urged to do their bit for the climate by closing the door on open refrigerated display units.

In its new report The Chilling Facts VI, the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) reveals that the take-up of climate-friendly refrigeration by supermarket chains is spreading faster and more widely than ever.

However, the agency is concerned that other major retailers are shying away from fitting doors on refrigeration units.

EIA senior climate campaigner and lead author Fionnuala Walravens said: “Retailer feedback shows that adding doors can result in energy savings of about 33 per cent. Those companies reluctant to make the move claim doors would significantly reduce impulse buying but the evidence from retailers who have introduced doors refutes this - in fact, there’s even testimony that having doors in place reduces shoplifting!”

Ms Walravens continued: “Refrigeration units with doors mean customers don’t have to scurry uncomfortably along aisles in near-Arctic conditions and, as they require much smaller quantities of refrigerant, they are easier and safer to run on natural refrigerants.”

EIA is the leading non-governmental organisation working directly to eradicate climate-harmful refrigerants. It released the first of its Chilling Facts reports in 2009 as part of a rolling campaign to encourage retailers to ditch HFC-based refrigeration systems in favour of ‘natural’ alternatives, quizzing and ranking leading UK supermarkets on their progress.

Six years later, the annual Chilling Facts survey has broadened to encompass key European retailers and in The Chilling Facts VI it has extended into South Africa.

 To read and download the survey go to http://eia-international.org/wp-content/uploads/EIA-Chilling-Facts-VI-FINAL.pdf