The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) has released its 2026 Climate‑Friendly Supermarkets Scorecard, tracking major U.S. food retailer efforts to address hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), superpollutant refrigerants used across the food retail sector.
The release comes one week after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rolled back requirements on refrigerant use in a move condemned by environmental and industry groups.
“Our 2026 scorecard shows that affordability is not a barrier to climate leadership and regulatory uncertainty is no excuse for inaction,” said Avipsa Mahapatra, climate campaigner director at EIA U.S.
“Every new HFC‑based refrigeration system installed today locks in high costs and climate pollution for years to come. Companies that choose to fall behind can no longer argue that climate‑friendly technology is too expensive, too difficult, or too early.”
This year, most companies reviewed have reported at least some of their store refrigeration systems are entirely HFC‑free. Aldi U.S. – the scorecard leader and one of the most affordable supermarkets in the country – accounts for the largest share at nearly 1,000 of these stores.
The scorecard tracks progress across three categories: technology adoption of climate‑friendly refrigerants (those with Global Warming Potentials below 10), refrigerant management (leak prevention and repair) and corporate commitments to reduce HFCs.
Aldi continues to lead the scorecard overall, as well as in technology adoption. It remains the only company with a public target to transition all new and existing stores to natural refrigerants by 2035. Eleven companies have a public commitment to reduce HFC use or emissions, but EIA noted a gap in time‑bound targets, interim benchmarks, and public updates on progress – proving a regulatory framework is needed over corporate commitments alone.
Meijer leads on refrigerant management with a reported average annual leak rate below 8 percent, compared to the EPA‑reported industry average of 25 percent. Transparency on leaks remains a challenge: only four companies (Aldi, Meijer, Target, and Kroger) disclose leak rates for U.S. stores, despite this data being required under EPA’s refrigerant leak repair recordkeeping and reporting requirements.
A recent EPA and U.S. Department of Justice consent decree with Kroger for alleged violations of refrigerant leak repair provisions under the Clean Air Act is a reminder that voluntary corporate actions are insufficient without consistent government enforcement.
“A sector long responsible for high leak rates of these superpollutants now has every tool to accelerate its transition away from them,” said Beth Porter, EIA U.S. senior climate policy analyst.
“Many U.S. retailers have already invested in HFC‑free refrigeration systems, and this adoption is advancing more rapidly at the global level, demonstrating a shift towards energy‑efficient, climate‑friendly alternatives.”
[RELATED: FMI, NGA Applaud Trump Administration’s Rollback Of Refrigeration Rules]