Chile. Twelve Cencosud Chile supermarkets have implemented a major technological change in order to abandon the use of R22 refrigerant and start using green gas, also called transcritical CO2, in their refrigeration systems.
The initiative is part of a public-private partnership that seeks to contribute to the reduction of gases that cause the greenhouse effect. This type of measure is key to reducing environmental impact and complying with the commitments of the Montreal Protocol, to which Chile is a party.
"We started in 2017 in Jumbo Valdivia, being the first supermarket in the country to apply this technology together with the Ozone Unit of the Ministry of the Environment, 
with funding from the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) and the Multilateral Fund of the Montreal Protocol. Jumbo marked a milestone in the country and in the supermarket industry," commented Raúl Troncoso, assistant manager of ESG-Sustainability at Cencosud, who pointed out that the ecological gas produces 0.01% of greenhouse gases, compared to other synthetic components.
In the same sense Claudia Paratori, who serves as coordinator of the Ozone Unit of the Ministry of Environment of Chile was pronounced: "We have been able to demonstrate that innovative technologies, such as the use of transcritical CO2 in refrigeration systems, contribute to the fight against climate change because they support the elimination of refrigerants harmful to the environment, such as HCFCs and HFCs. In addition, they consume less energy, which is in line with compliance with international environmental commitments made by Chile".
Currently, Cencosud Chile is implementing this technology replacement in two more stores, which would close the second half of 2023 with a total of 14 supermarkets intervened.
