The German Retail Association (HDE) is expanding its commitment to climate protection. Following the climate protection offensive that has already been running since 2017, the new HDE-Adapt project has now been launched with a wide range of workshops and informative materials on climate change adaptation. The project provides retailers with targeted support in preparing themselves for increasingly frequent extreme weather events and becoming more resilient.
Recent heatwave events in summer have highlighted the direct impact of climate change on the German retail industry: High temperatures lead to lower foot traffic in city centers. In the event of high heat, energy costs can also be expected to rise, as more air-conditioning of sales areas becomes necessary. Increased energy consumption has a counterproductive effect on energy-saving efforts and climate protection concepts. Early adaptation of the product range, structural changes such as shading, insulation, environmentally friendly cooling or a suitable choice of location from a climate point of view would be suitable measures and can also bring advantages over competitors.
HDE-Adapt will run for two years and is funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection. Until the end of 2024, informative materials will be produced on an ongoing basis and workshops, and seminars will be held for retail companies to raise awareness of possible competitive advantages and to enable retailers to identify and exploit climate adaptation potential throughout the company - at their own premises and in their supply chain.
