I was in their Doncaster Church View store today. Granted, this store is a good 30 years old, but they have recently had new chilled produce cabinets fitted. These are of the type that have a "half top" - the top part with the air curtain outlet only comes out halfway, so the cool air curtain is blown forward slightly. The lights are hung from the ceiling, as opposed to being part of the cabinet. However, I noticed that this design would be hard to accomodate a night blind. Lo and behold, no night blinds. 
Now, I cant imagine this design of cooler being very efficient either, due to there being no real base to it, the air collectors are on the floor, pointing forward.
The most efficient type of dairy open front cooler has the air curtain going totally vertical. Though sadly (for the environment), the trend is toward the above design of chiller, which rather looks more like a set of standard shelves.
As I ventured round the store (it wasnt my idea to go there) I also noticed NONE of the fridges had night blinds. I also noted that the older fridges had TWO rows of lights! Why? Its not like they are even very big, they have quite a narrow display area compared to newer fridges, which only use one row of lights.
On the fresh meat aisle (which was sparsely stocked), there were extra spotlights on the ceiling, meat-coloured lights, as well as the two rows of lights in the chillers and the standard ceiling lights. Totally unnessecary, IMO.
I just found all this astounding in this day and age of trying to reduce our energy consumption. The company I work for is actually making their new stores 25% dimmer, and trying to go for more efficient tri-phosphor tubes etc. This should be the way forward.
Now, I cant imagine this design of cooler being very efficient either, due to there being no real base to it, the air collectors are on the floor, pointing forward.
The most efficient type of dairy open front cooler has the air curtain going totally vertical. Though sadly (for the environment), the trend is toward the above design of chiller, which rather looks more like a set of standard shelves.
As I ventured round the store (it wasnt my idea to go there) I also noticed NONE of the fridges had night blinds. I also noted that the older fridges had TWO rows of lights!
Why? Its not like they are even very big, they have quite a narrow display area compared to newer fridges, which only use one row of lights. On the fresh meat aisle (which was sparsely stocked), there were extra spotlights on the ceiling, meat-coloured lights, as well as the two rows of lights in the chillers and the standard ceiling lights.
Totally unnessecary, IMO. I just found all this astounding in this day and age of trying to reduce our energy consumption. The company I work for is actually making their new stores 25% dimmer, and trying to go for more efficient tri-phosphor tubes etc. This should be the way forward.
