Where we will shop in the Future

Climate protection and energy efficiency can be found on Migros's shelves. At Migros, the products with the smallest carbon footprint of their class bear the label of the independent organisation climatop ((link label)). The Topten label can be found on energy-saving electrical devices ((link labels)). It can be found in the ranges of domestic appliances, consumer electronics, information technology, lights and lamps. And for freezers and fridges, since 2010 only appliances with the best energy efficiency have been stocked. The entire range corresponds to A+ or A++ efficiency classes. Ninety per cent of coffee machines have an automatic switch-off function. These examples show: anyone wanting to save energy and protect the climate can find the best range at Migros shops.

Innovations in the cooling area

Environmentally friendly solutions exist not only for products, but also for their presentation. As such, Migros has been working on the efficient design of refrigeration units for many years. Cooling devices consume a lot of power and comprise up to 70 per cent of a branch's energy consumption. Freezer units usually feature glass doors or sliding glass lids. Lids are applied or blinds pulled down over night for refrigeration units. Anti-condensation films contribute to

reducing the energy consumption of glass heating. As a trial, and as the first retailer to do so, last year Migros also fitted plus refrigeration units with glass doors, i.e. those refrigerated display cabinets that work at fridge temperature. Projects at a total of 12 branches showed that the doors reduced the energy consumption of the refrigeration units by 20 to 50 per cent and were accepted by customers. Migros therefore expanded the successful trial to all cooperatives at the start of 2011.

Power-saving lighting in the stores

In 2006 Migros opened the world's first supermarket fully fitted with LED lights, from its ceiling lighting to the lights in the refrigeration units. The energy-saving lighting technology has in the meantime become the standard, thanks to increasingly powerful light emitting diodes. Three more branches were added in 2010. LEDs convert power into light in a highly efficient manner, in particular at low temperatures. They are also particularly durable. Thanks to the small infrared proportion in the LED light, unpackaged foods stay fresh longer. UV radiation is also low, thus LED lights do not fade textiles as strongly as other lighting. Due to these benefits, Migros plans to continue refitting with LEDs in the cooling area in particular. 33 branches of the Zurich cooperative already feature refrigeration units fitted exclusively with LEDs.

M as in Minergie

Migros is the Swiss champion in implementing the Minergie standard: 42 of its buildings now bear this quality label for particular energy efficiency. In addition to supermarkets, offices and residential buildings are also certified; Migros has a total of 600,000 square metres of Minergie area. In 2010 alone, the retailer opened eight new Minergie stores. The Länderpark shopping centre in Stans, for instance, was comprehensively updated and now consumes much less energy than before, while having double the sales area. This is possible thanks to a highly insulating outer shell and controlled ventilation, which sets the Minergie standard for all buildings. It is practical to combine such efficient buildings with renewable energy supply. The refurbished Länderpark is therefore completely independent of fossil fuels. Before the conversion, the building consumed 120'000 litres of heating oil per year. For shop buildings, the Minergie standard also requires efficient lighting and economical refrigeration systems. As such Migros also uses the waste heat from refrigeration systems to heat the premises in Stans.