Be prepared for winter blackouts, stores warned

Proposed winter blackouts could be “hugely disruptive” to stores that are unprepared, while also providing a sales opportunity for independent retailers.

This week, National Grid boss John Pettigrew warned that blackouts may be imposed between 4pm and 7pm on the coldest days in January and February if Europe cuts gas exports due to the war in Ukraine. The blackouts would have a major impact on independent retailers who rely on electricity to operate EPoS, chillers, lighting and many other vital areas of their stores.

Tanveer Mirza, managing director of EPoS firm ITS, advised retailers to get an uninterrupted power supply. These units, which can start from £90, can provide backup energy to EPoS in the event of a power outage. The battery life of the units vary depending on model, but some will last for several hours.

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