How Formula 1 solved the problem of chilly supermarket food aisles

IF you’ve ever found yourself pulling your coat closer as you pick out your chilled goods, then this will come as very good news.

For frosty supermarket aisles could soon become a thing of the past – thanks to a gadget developed for Formula One cars.

The aerofoil – a thin wing-shaped strip of aluminium and plastic – is attached to the front of cold cabinet shelves.

The device, originally designed to direct air around the chassis of a racing car, keeps the cold air inside instead of spilling out into the aisle and making shoppers shiver.

Chilled food aisles will be a full 4C warmer as a result, making them much more customer friendly. The aerofoils also reduce the energy use of the fridges by up to 15 per cent – saving electricity and money and significantly lowering supermarkets’ carbon emissions.

The technology will be installed across all Sainsbury’s stores by the middle of 2018, being introduced in aisles stocking products such as cheese, yoghurts and meat. The chain claims to be the first retailer to retrofit the technology on such a large scale.

Per year, it will save the equivalent amount of energy needed to boil 320 million kettles. Formula One firm Williams Advanced Engineering created the technology in collaboration with UK start-up Aerofoil Energy. Managing director Craig Wilson said: ‘Our collaboration with Aerofoil Energy is a perfect example of how Formula One derived innovations can have a tangible benefit to the general public, and the environment.’

‘This technology has global potential and the extensive tests we have carried out with the support of Sainsbury’s have shown the significant savings in operational costs and emissions are extremely promising.’

Sainsbury’s head of sustainability, Paul Crewe, added: ‘By keeping the cold air in our fridges using this technology, we’ll see an energy reduction of up to 15 per cent.

‘By looking outside of our industry, and borrowing technology from an industry that is renowned for its speed and efficiency, we are accelerating how we are reducing the impact on the environment whilst making stores a more comfortable experience.’