As the Swiss government announced its energy austerity campaign for the general public on Wednesday, authorities confirmed that businesses would also be making cutbacks to help avoid power shortages this winter. Now, in one of the biggest announcements so far, Coop, an international company and one of the largest supermarkets in Switzerland, has announced that it will be switching off its signs at night, reducing heating in stores and scrapping its Christmas lights.
In a statement given to Le Matin, Coop said that as the country faces blackouts if nothing is done to save energy, it will be reducing its energy consumption alongside efforts by the general public. From September 1, Coop, along with their Pronto, to Go, Sapori, Fust and Jumbo brands, will no longer illuminate their stores after they close at night.
The chain also said that it would be lowering the heating of its stores, offices and logistics centres by two degrees Celsius. Finally, the company announced that all its businesses will go “without Christmas lights this year.”
Coop is one of many Swiss brands that have chosen to make cutbacks. Earlier in the week, the Swiss postal service told La Côte that it would be switching off its illuminated signs two hours earlier than usual, in what it called “a small step… to fight against a possible shortage of energy."
According to Le Matin, Coop and Swiss Post are expected to be joined by entrepreneurs, cities and councils (Gemeindes) with their own announcements on how they plan to save energy. According to the French-Swiss newspaper, measures ranging from no Christmas lights in cities and home working, to less heating in public buildings and public transport are all being considered to help save power.