North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council Releases Food Retailer Survey Report

The North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to facilitate the transition to natural refrigerants, today announced the release of the 2026 Food Retailer Survey Report, offering new insights into how leading U.S. food retailers are navigating the transition from high-global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants.

Based on survey responses from 18 major food retailers representing over 29,000 locations nationwide, the report provides a comprehensive view of current refrigerant use, future system plans and the key drivers and barriers shaping industry decisions through 2029.

In addition to tracking technology trends, the report explores implications for policy and incentive program design. “Food retailers are actively planning and executing the transition to low-GWP refrigerants,” said Danielle Wright, NASRC executive director. “Our findings show that, while momentum is strong, without trained technicians or incentive programs, the pace of adoption will be constrained.”

The report underscores a market in transition. While legacy HFC and HCFC systems dominate existing store fleets, retailers are rapidly adopting lower-GWP solutions, particularly CO2 (R744), for new construction and system replacements.

Among the report’s key findings:

• Total CO2 systems are projected to surpass 10,000 by 2029, with the largest growth expected in the Southwest.
• The lack of trained technicians is the top barrier, highlighting an urgent need for workforce development.

As federal HFC phasedown requirements under the AIM Act continue to tighten and state-level regulations evolve, NASRC will use these insights to inform program development, expand training initiatives and support an equitable transition to natural refrigerants.

“CO2 is coming,” said Wright. “We can either ride the wave or be crushed. The key to successful adoption is strengthening our technician workforce, resiliency and community. That’s exactly what NASRC is all about.”

Download the full report here.

The survey and report were made possible through support from BITZER, Climate Pros, Copeland, Danfoss, êffecterra, Hussmann and Parker Sporlan.

About the North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council

NASRC is a 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit working to eliminate refrigeration’s environmental impacts by facilitating the transition to natural refrigerants. NASRC collaborates with stakeholders across the refrigeration industry, including 55,000+ food retail locations, to drive a sustainable workforce, facilitate funding opportunities and catalyze continuous improvement. For more information, visit nasrc.org, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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