The Lincolnshire Co-op is leading the green charge with the roll out of new chillers using cutting-edge environmentally-friendly gas.

The first-of-a-kind fridges use the gas R449A, which has almost three times less potential to cause global warming than its predecessor.

Three of its newest stores in Newark, Gainsborough and Collingham now feature the new fridges, with more to be rolled out in the future.

The Society’s efforts were rewarded last month when it was recognised at the national Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (ACR) News Awards with the Environmental Project of the Year award.

Lincolnshire Co-op Store development manager Matthew Wilkinson said: “We’re very pleased and proud that our environmental efforts have been acknowledged.

“Reducing energy use is important to us; by looking after the local environment we can help to look after our customers and the communities that they live in.”

Swapping refrigerant gasses is just one of the ways that Lincolnshire Co-op is green; it also recycles most waste, while solar panels on stores and LED lighting help to reduce energy consumption.

Between 2009 and 2015, Lincolnshire Co-op reduced energy use relative to sales by almost 26%.