The North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council released its 2026 Food Retailer Survey Report in the United States, providing new data on how food retailers are transitioning to low-global warming potential refrigerants, particularly CO₂ systems, as regulations tighten and sustainability targets increase. The report is based on survey responses from 18 major food retailers representing more than 29,000 stores and outlines technology adoption trends, workforce challenges, and regulatory impacts through 2029.
What is sustainable refrigeration in food retail?
Sustainable refrigeration in food retail refers to the transition from high-global warming potential refrigerants such as HFCs and HCFCs to lower-emission alternatives like CO₂ (R744) and other natural refrigerants. These systems are used in supermarket refrigeration for frozen food, dairy, meat, and chilled products and are a critical part of store infrastructure and energy systems.
At a glance
- The report covers 18 major U.S. food retailers.
- The data represents more than 29,000 food retail locations.
- CO₂ refrigeration systems are expected to exceed 10,000 installations by 2029.
- The Southwest United States is expected to see the highest growth.
- The biggest barrier to adoption is a shortage of trained technicians.
- The transition is driven by HFC phasedown regulations under the AIM Act.
- The report will be used to guide training and incentive programs.
Why are food retailers switching to CO₂ refrigeration?
Food retailers are switching to CO₂ refrigeration systems primarily due to environmental regulations and sustainability targets. The phasedown of high-GWP refrigerants under U.S. federal regulation is pushing retailers to adopt lower-emission systems for new stores and for replacement of older refrigeration equipment.
CO₂ systems are increasingly becoming the preferred option for new supermarket construction and major store renovations because they meet regulatory requirements and reduce long-term environmental impact.
What is slowing down adoption?
The report identifies a shortage of trained refrigeration technicians as the biggest barrier to adoption. CO₂ refrigeration systems require specialized skills for installation and maintenance, and the current workforce is not large enough to support rapid nationwide adoption.
Without workforce development and training programs, the pace of transition may slow, even as regulations and retailer sustainability plans continue to push for change.
How many CO₂ systems are expected in the market?
The report projects that total CO₂ refrigeration systems in U.S. food retail will surpass 10,000 by 2029. The largest growth is expected in the Southwest region, where new store construction and system replacements are expected to increase significantly over the next several years.
This indicates that CO₂ refrigeration is moving from early adoption into mainstream supermarket infrastructure.
What does this mean for the retail industry?
The transition to low-GWP refrigeration systems represents a major infrastructure shift for the supermarket industry. Refrigeration is one of the largest energy uses in food retail stores, and changes to refrigeration systems affect store design, energy consumption, maintenance operations, and capital investment planning.
The report also highlights the growing importance of workforce training, incentive programs, and regulatory planning in shaping how quickly retailers can complete the transition.
What happens next?
The findings from the survey will be used to guide training programs, workforce development, and incentive program design to support the transition to natural refrigerants. As HFC phasedown requirements continue and more retailers plan system replacements, the adoption of CO₂ refrigeration systems is expected to accelerate across the U.S. food retail sector over the next several years.
