More than 100 representatives from retail, industry, planning, system construction and specialist trades attended the 17th Supermarket Symposium in Darmstadt, Germany, on June 25, 2026. Organized jointly by BIV and VDKF under the theme “The Supermarket of the Future,” the event featured 13 technical presentations on refrigeration and air-conditioning challenges in food retail.
Outdoor temperatures of up to 36°C (96.8°F) provided a practical backdrop for discussions about reliable, safe and energy-efficient refrigeration and air-conditioning systems. Several presentations examined the use of natural refrigerants, including CO2 and hydrocarbons, in new and existing installations, together with risk assessments, efficiency evaluations and experience from completed projects.
Regulatory requirements were another focus. Participants discussed how the European F-gas Regulation and Germany’s Chemicals Climate Protection Ordinance affect certification requirements for handling refrigerants. Presentations also addressed cybersecurity requirements under the NIS2 Directive and the Cyber Resilience Act, as refrigeration systems increasingly form part of critical digital infrastructure.
The program included case studies on integrated air-conditioning concepts, waterloop systems, heat recovery from CO2 refrigeration installations and intelligent demand-based cooling for cold rooms. Other sessions covered supermarket operating experience, safety considerations and possible future funding opportunities for refrigeration systems and energy-efficiency measures.
During the event, VDKF Managing Director Marcel Rehder and BIV Managing Director Torsten March recognized Irene Reichert for her organizational work supporting the Supermarket Symposium over the past 17 years.
