Lidl, Hugo Boss, and other European retailers switch off illuminated logos, keep doors closed, and cut heating as the energy crisis takes its toll

• Stores in Europe are adopting energy-saving measures as Russia continues to cut off gas supplies.
• Lidl, Hugo Boss, Aldi, and other retailers told Insider what they've done in stores to save power.

A host of retailers across Europe are implementing radical energy-saving measures in their stores as Russia continues to choke crucial gas supply to the continent.

As the cold months draw nearer, European governments have cracked down on energy usage in homes, stores, public buildings, and even swimming pools. Reduced gas flows through the Nord Stream pipelines have left officials and businesses concerned about potential energy shortages in the winter.

Many retailers, including supermarkets and clothes outlets, use large amounts of energy with their lighting inside and outside, illuminated advertising, heating, and air conditioning. With the looming energy shortage, these features are expected to run temporarily or stop completely in some shops.

Schwarz Group, owner of grocery stores such as Lidl and Kaufland, told Insider that it was following the rules set out by the German government's Energy Conservation Ordinance for not only its stores, but also its warehouses, offices, and production sites.

Since the start of September, the illuminated advertising panels outside Lidl and Kaufland stores have been switched off for 18 hours from 10 p.m. to 4 p.m. the following day, Schwarz said. Whereas at its other stores, Schwarz said it planned to turn off all illuminated logos. Lidl and Kaufland already have automatic doors that only open if someone approaches, which Schwarz said ticked a box for the energy-saving requirements.

German fashion brand Hugo Boss told Insider that in line with the government's rules, it had banned store doors from being permanently open and only allows illuminated advertising for six hours a day.

"We do take the current situation very seriously," a spokesperson from Aldi Süd, the German grocery store tied with Aldi Nord, told Insider. The spokesperson said Aldi Süd was "of course implementing all legal regulations," including optimization of heating systems in stores and time restrictions for illuminated logos.

Rewe, a German supermarket chain, told Insider it employed energy officers who have put in place motion detectors for lights, adjusted the outside lighting to brightness or darkness, and installed timers for heating. A Rewe spokesperson said the company will enforce the rules set out by the German government.

The spokesperson said Rewe wants to make the "greatest possible contribution to the savings required nationwide without creating restrictions for our customers."

In France, a group of major retail stores called the Fédération du Commerce et de la Distribution announced it would switch off luminous lighting and lower the temperature in shops in line with energy-saving plans. While in Spain, the government said store doors should have automatic locks and remained closed when the heating or air conditioning is on, and lights must be off after 10 p.m.

Ikea franchisee Ingka Group, which is based in the Netherlands, said the current energy crisis hasn't changed its ongoing power-saving plans across its operations.

"Examples of initiatives we are taking to improve energy efficiency include switching to LED lighting, upgrading building management systems, improving insulation and using energy recovery from heating and cooling," an Ingka spokesperson told Insider.