A BRAND-NEW Sainsbury's supermarket has opened in Hook, with a queue of people excited to see inside.
The new 25,000 square ft Sainsbury's has been designed to be its most energy-efficient supermarket ever opened and will provide an extra 100 jobs.
It is projected to use half the energy of a similar-sized Sainbury store and 25 per cent less electricity.
With the store operating on 100 per cent renewable energy, about two-thirds of the energy consumed will be reused by the cold aisle retrieval system.
This retrieval system will keep aisles at their optimum temperature and takes any air that may leave the fridges and displaces it to other areas of the store.
READ MORE: New Sainsbury's supermarket to open in Hook
Warm air is then taken from the back of its fridges and re-purposed to heat other sections.
Patrick Dunne, Sainsbury’s property director, thanks the local community for their support and patience while constructing this store.
He said: "I hope everyone will agree it was worth the wait, not only for the new offer customers can now enjoy but for the progress in store sustainability it represents.”
The retailer will replicate and build on everything that works well from Sainsbury’s Hook in the new supermarkets it constructs.
The new store features Sainsbury's Habitat range, Tu clothing via click and collect and an Argos store.
Ranil Jayawardena, MP for North East Hampshire, Cllr Dermot Smith, Hook ward councillor, and Cllr Jane Worlock, chairman of Hart District Council, were delighted to attend the opening of Sainsbury’s newest store.
Ryan Cox, Sainsbury’s Hook store manager said: “We have thoroughly enjoyed welcoming customers through the doors of our brand-new store and we look forward to getting to know many of them as we become an integral part of the local community."
By the end of 2023 the retailer projects that up to 40 per cent of its electricity will come from new-to-the-planet wind and solar power.
The improvements in the store’s efficient energy design are part of Sainsbury’s wider commitment to becoming Net Zero in its own operations by 2035.
The store will be an active member of Sainsbury’s Food Donation Programme via Neighbourly, which works to reduce the amount of food waste within its operations and redistribute surplus food.
Cllr Rob Cowell, chairman of Hook Parish Council, said: "Hook continues to be a great place to live and work and its residents will be delighted that the recent expansion in living accommodation here has been matched with this significant, much-welcome and very modern shopping facility."
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