The Cold Chain Federation has launched the UK’s first census of transport refrigeration units (TRUs), designed to build a credible evidence base on the progress, investment and challenges across the sector as it transitions towards lower-emission technologies.
The TRU Census was officially launched at the Cold Chain Federation’s Climate & Energy Summit on 19 March and will be open to responses from any business operating at least one refrigerated van, rigid vehicle or trailer for approximately two months.
The initiative is open to both members of the Cold Chain Federation and the wider industry and aims to capture, for the first time, sector-wide insights into transport refrigeration technologies, investment trends and operational realities across the UK cold chain.
The data gathered will help demonstrate the scale of innovation already taking place across the industry, identify barriers to further investment, and strengthen the sector’s engagement with government as policymakers develop decarbonisation policy.
Tom Southall, Deputy CEO of the Cold Chain Federation, said the census would help provide the evidence needed to better inform future policy decisions.
“Businesses in the cold chain are making serious investments to make their refrigerated fleets more sustainable, including embracing low carbon solutions and operational efficiencies. However, there is a complete lack of data to demonstrate this progress to policymakers in government.
The results of the TRU Census will provide concrete evidence to showcase progress and identify clear areas where government support might be required to support the timely transition to zero emission TRUs. Without this information there is a real risk that new regulation and policy hinders, rather than supports, future decarbonisation efforts. I encourage anyone operating refrigerated vehicles to take part in the census.”
The Cold Chain Federation says the data gathered will play an important role in strengthening the sector’s evidence base for policy development.
“This TRU census is a really exciting step forward for our members and the cold chain sector as a whole,” said Maddy Coupe, Policy Manager at the Cold Chain Federation. “From our many conversations with government departments, we know they respond to data – so that’s exactly what we’re delivering through this census. The insights we collect will give us a stronger, evidence-based voice when advocating for the industry and will directly help us shape policies which support the needs of the cold chain.
The more organisations that take part, the more influential our collective voice becomes.”
All responses to the census will be treated as strictly confidential, with findings reported only in aggregated and anonymised form.
Insights from the census will support the Cold Chain Federation’s ongoing policy engagement with government and will contribute to future sector reporting, including the organisation’s annual Cold Chain Report.
UK businesses operating transport refrigeration equipment across the cold chain are encouraged to participate.
The TRU Census is open now and will remain available for approximately two months.
To take part, visit: https://www.coldchainfederation.org.uk/the-uks-first-tru-census/
Contact
Tom Southall
Deputy CEO
Cold Chain Federation
tom@coldchainfed.org.uk
About the Cold Chain Federation
The Cold Chain Federation is a trade association that represents businesses that run the temperature-controlled supply chain in the UK. Our members are businesses operating frozen and chilled storage facilities and/or temperature-controlled distribution vehicles plus companies with mutual commercial or policy interests.
The Cold Chain Federation is committed to ensuring that the UK’s cold chain is safe, efficient, and sustainable. The organisation works with its members, government, and other stakeholders to develop and implement best practice standards, promote innovation, and raise awareness of the importance of the cold chain.
