Report identifies cold chain’s £14bn impact on economy

The alarming figure in the Cold Chain Federation’s (CCF) annual report came as the trade body urged policymakers to invest in its development, given its huge importance in sectors such as food and beverage processing, pharmaceuticals and horticulture.

The report found almost half of all food and beverages (49%) produced in the UK require chilling or freezing and the sector contributes £14bn to UK GDP, supports 184,000 jobs and generates £3.7bn in tax revenues.

However, it has also faced significant pressures from external factors such as rapidly changing consumer demands and trade flows in the wake of Brexit and the industry is also contending with the need to transition to sustainable practices.

The CCF said more than a quarter of cold stores are now running on renewable energy but that the use of CO2 as a primary refrigerant had increased by 4%.

Tom Southall, deputy chief executive at the CCF, said its findings demonstrated “unequivocally” the cold chain’s status as a cornerstone of the UK economy: “We urge policymakers and industry leaders to recognise the cold chain’s immense potential and invest in continued development,” he added.

Last month the CCF joined calls for the temperature at which frozen food was stored and transported to be increased from -18 to -15 degrees Celsius to significantly reduce carbon emissions.

Thomas Eskesen, chairman of the Move to -15°C campaign, said: “By working together, we stand to make a positive impact on the environment.

“If we can redefine frozen food temperature standards then we could save 17.7 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide per year – that’s the equivalent of taking 3.8 million cars off the road annually.”