CONTENTS

Editor Jack Courtez @JackCourtez 07592 880864

News editor

Megan Humphrey @MeganHumphrey_ 07597 588972

Features editor

Charles Whitting

@CharlieWhittin1 020 7689 3350

Senior features writer

Priyanka Jethwa @PriyankaJethwa_ 020 7689 3355

Head of design

Anne-Claire Pickard

Senior designer

Jody Cooke

Junior designer

Lauren Jackson

Production editor

Ryan Cooper Sub editors

Jim Findlay, Robin Jarossi

Production coordinator

Chris Gardner 020 7689 3368

Editor in chief

Louise Banham @LouiseBanham

Deputy insight & advertorial editor

Jasper Hart @JasperAHHart 020 7689 3384

News editor

Alex Yau @AlexYau_ 020 7689 3358

Specialist reporter

Dia Stronach 020 76893375

Hot weather plus poor chiller maintenance equals an expensive headache for shop owners and managers.

Across last weekend there were dozens of examples of major supermarkets with empty aisles because of equipment failures. One engineer claimed that unlike in traditionally warmer countries, the kit and set-ups we use just weren’t designed or installed for the type of prolonged hot spells we’ve now experienced year on year.

With every shop looking to cut costs, things like maintenance visits, equipment cleaning and refrigerant top-ups can look like easy wins, but it’s certainly a gamble with severe consequences.

Head of commercial

Natalie Reeve 020 7689 3367

Senior account director

Charlotte Jesson 020 7689 3389

Account director

Lindsay Hudson 020 7689 3366

Account manager

Megan Byrne 020 7689 3364

Account manager

Marie Dickens 020 7689 3372

Managing director

Parin Gohil 020 7689 3363

Cover image: Getty Images/Muharrem huner

Jack Courtez

@JackCourtez 020 7689 3371

Thousands of pounds of repair or replacement costs, lost stock, lost sales and increased refuse collection costs are the financial harms, but it can be worse. RN’s investigation back in 2021 found that one in six fires in food stores are caused by chillers. It showed that the average shop chiller fire takes place when the temperature outside is double the UK annual average.

The good news is that the same steps you took to cut bills earlier this year will also cut your chance of chiller malfunction – adding doors, increasing the operating temperature (where safe) and making sure all vents are clear of debris. One tip that often escapes mention is that full chillers and freezers use less energy and put less strain on motors and compressors. This is because the less cool air that escapes from doors opening, the less the unit has to work to replace it. Hopefully, your availability in store is excellent, but if there are gaps, remerchandising to put a section of ambient lines such as take-home soft drinks in chillers can help.

The same is true of chest freezers and ice cream mini-freezers. If your stock holding is low these can often have a lot of space inside. Putting bags of ice cubes at the bottom and the standard goods on top not only saves energy and reduces cash tied up in more expensive stock, it makes the lines inside more visible and accessible too.

Consider where your freezers are placed, too. I’ve seen many slush machines and Wall’s freezers up against windows in direct sunlight, and one shop even claimed that a redesign putting freezers away from external south facing walls had saved them a pretty penny.

Headlines

3 INDUSTRY NEWS Shop margin squeeze in core categories revealed Outside laundrette provider looking to partner with local shops

5 SYMBOLS & WHOLESALE Epicurium reveals plans for new tool kit for stores

6 N EWS & MAGS Intermedia claims magazine

12 PRICEWATCH

Make more from tobacco accessories

14 WOMEN IN CONVENIENCE

Symbol groups outline steps to support female shop owners

16 STORE ADVICE Dealing with staff absences

19 EXPERT OPINION

‘Supermarkets

22 FINDING THE RIGHT SUPPLIERS How stores find the right suppliers