Co-op trials reduced lighting in stores to lower energy costs

The Co-op is cutting back on the use of lighting in stores as a way of reducing its energy bills.

The convenience retailer, which operates more than 2,500 stores across the UK, is trialling dimmed or reduced lighting in a number of locations.

The Grocer understands the measures could reduce the electricity bills for a single store by up to £4,000 a year. Were such savings achieved across the entire estate, Co-op could potentially reduce its energy bills by up to £10m.

The society’s energy bills run into tens of millions per annum and it is keen to not only pay less but also cut its impact on the environment. The Co-op is also understood to have hedged its energy prices over three years to minimise the impact of the energy crisis.

Despite this, the retailer said in its interim results last month that energy and wage inflation increased costs in the first half of 2022 by around £50m versus H1 2021.

Co-op is not the only retailer to be looking at reducing the use of lighting in stores, with some retailers understood to be dimming lights in non-food or clothing sections of larger superstores.

“We are trialling an energy-smart lighting initiative in a small number of our stores and are also reviewing how we can become a more energy-efficient business, without compromising safety and still achieving a positive store environment and shopping experience for our customers,” said a Co-op spokesman.