A Comparative Look at Open and Closed Display Refrigeration

Selecting the right display refrigeration is an important decision for any retail business. The two main options are open multi-deck cases or closed-door glass refrigerators. Both have advantages and disadvantages in terms of energy efficiency, customer convenience, placement flexibility, stocking ease, footprint, and more. This article provides a detailed comparison of open and closed refrigerated display cases to help inform the decision.

Retail display refrigeration serves the essential functions of safely storing chilled and frozen goods at the proper temperature, making products easily accessible to shoppers, and showcasing items attractively. The right display fridge or freezer can become a focal point that enhances the overall shopping experience.

The two primary designs for display refrigeration are:

• Open multi-deck: In these cases, Shelves are openly exposed, sometimes behind an air curtain at the front edge. Products are easily accessible.

• Closed door - Also called glass door merchandisers, these have self-closing doors over each shelf. Customers must open the doors to access products.

Understanding the unique strengths and drawbacks of these two main styles will enable business owners to choose the best display refrigeration for their specific store's needs.

Key Factors to Compare

Some of the key factors to weigh when deciding between open and closed-display refrigeration include:

• Energy efficiency

• Customer shopping convenience

• Placement flexibility and store airflow dynamics

• Ease of stocking and shelf management

• Footprint and floor space requirements

• Merchandising and product visibility

The following sections explore each of these considerations in depth.

Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency is a major priority for retail businesses looking to save on electricity costs and support sustainability initiatives. Closed-door display cases tend to be far more energy efficient than open multi-deck models.

Open Display Cases Lose More Cold Air

Open-display refrigeration uses an air curtain at the front of each shelf to help contain the cold air inside. However, these air currents are not sufficient to prevent cold air from escaping whenever a product is removed or a customer reaches inside.

Over time, the cold air loss from an open display fridge leads to substantially higher electricity usage. Open cases need to run compressors more often to replace escaped cold air.

Closed Door Models Retain Cold Air Better

The glass doors on closed-door display refrigerators create a much stronger barrier to retain chilled air inside. Studies show that closed-door merchandisers can be up to 66% more energy efficient than comparable open display units.

Closed-door display cases only lose cold air when a customer opens the door to retrieve a product. The doors quickly close again to conserve as much energy as possible.

Customer Shopping Convenience

The customer experience is another significant differentiator between these two major types of display refrigeration. Each design has pros and cons.

Open Displays Allow Easy Access

Open multi-deck display fridges offer the ultimate in quick, grab-and-go convenience for shoppers. Customers can instantly pick up any product without having to open doors. This speeds up shopping trips.

But Can Create Discomfort from Cold Air

The trade-off is that all the openly exposed refrigerated shelves can make the store aisle quite cold and uncomfortable. Some customers may avoid browsing open display cases due to the chilly air currents.

Closed Doors Require an Extra Step to Open

Closed-door display refrigerators obviously require an extra step to open the door to access products, which slightly slows down the shopping experience.

However, most glass door merchandisers today have clever innovations like swinging or sliding doors to ensure customer convenience, which is still excellent.

But Customers Stay Warmer

The major benefit of closed-door refrigerated units is that customers can comfortably browse the aisle without being blasted by cold air. Glass doors greatly contain the chilled air and temperatures.

Placement Flexibility and Airflow Dynamics

Airflow patterns and drafts need much more consideration when using open-display refrigeration. Closed-door models can be positioned nearly anywhere without airflow concerns.

Open Displays Are Sensitive to Drafts

The exposed shelves on open multi-deck units need proper air circulation to function correctly. They are quite sensitive to external air currents from open windows, nearby outside doors, or HVAC vents.

Improperly placed open display cases need help to maintain safe temperatures. Careful store layout is crucial.

Closed-door models Are Flexible in Placement.

Because closed glass door display fridges retain cold air so effectively, they can be positioned nearly anywhere without concern for air drafts interfering with performance.

This gives retailers much more layout flexibility and creative options when merchandising with closed-door refrigeration units.

Stocking and Shelf Management

Working inside an open display case requires care to avoid disrupting the sensitive air curtain barrier. Closed-door models are simpler for stocking, organizing, and facing shelves.

Air Curtains Limit Open Case Stocking

When stocking or organizing products in an open multi-deck fridge, employees must be careful not to lean inside too much. Doing so can break the air curtain seal and allow cold air to spill out.

Closed Door Units Are Easier to Stock

With closed-door refrigerators, workers can freely open the doors and stock or straighten shelves inside without worrying about losing cold air. When they are done, the doors re-seal the chilled air.

Open Displays Require Careful Shelf Spacing

The shelves inside open display cases need to have proper vertical spacing between them so the air curtain can effectively contain the cold air. This limits flexibility for reconfiguring shelves.

Closed Door Shelves Have No Spacing Limits

The solid doors mean that shelves can be spaced any distance apart inside a closed-door display refrigerator without impacting performance. This makes occasional reconfigurations simpler.

Footprint and Floor Space Needs

When evaluating display refrigeration units based on their floor space requirements, open cases have an advantage because of their smaller footprint. However, closed-door models often make better use of vertical space.

Open Displays Don't Need Door Clearance Space

Because open multi-deck fridges lack doors, they don't require any clearance space in front for swinging doors, so their footprint can be a bit smaller.

But Closed Door Models Often Use Space Better

Modern closed-door display cases frequently have sliding glass doors rather than traditional swing doors, which minimizes the floor space needed in front.

Also, closed-door units tend to make better use of vertical space by having shelves very close together. They compensate for a slightly larger floor footprint with increased merchandising space.

Conclusion

When considering retail display refrigeration options, it's essential to find the right balance of features to meet the needs of your store. Main Auction Services, Inc. offers a range of solutions designed to enhance energy efficiency, shopping experience, and flexibility in placement. Both open and closed units have their advantages and drawbacks, so it's important to carefully assess your requirements.

Closed-door display cases are often preferred for modern retail environments due to their superior energy savings and flexibility in merchandising. However, open multi-deck units provide unparalleled convenience for grab-and-go items, making them suitable for certain specialty shops.

Choosing between open and closed-display refrigeration requires a thorough understanding of your store's unique needs and priorities. Main Auction Services, Inc. can help guide you through this decision-making process, ensuring that you select the right style of fridge or freezer to showcase your products effectively while managing costs effectively.