Auchan Retail Hungary implements emergency energy‑saving measures across stores

Auchan Retail Hungary announced immediate energy‑saving actions in response to the national energy‑crisis. The retailer will dim or switch off non‑essential lighting, turn off external signage and totems, and reduce internal illumination to security‑only levels after closing. Air‑conditioning will be set to 27 °C in sales areas (minimum 26 °C in offices) and refrigeration cycles will be limited, with chilled goods restocked only once per day and redundant cooling units shut down. Product groups are being merged to free up equipment, and office staff are shifted to remote work where possible.

Other Hungarian retailers joined the effort. Tesco reduced store lighting, disabled beverage coolers and closed electric‑vehicle charging stations, while MOL temporarily shut its car‑wash facilities, citing “every drop of water counts.”

In neighboring Romania, the energy ministry warned that while current contracts keep prices stable, prolonged shortages and costly electricity imports could later raise consumer bills. The ministry also highlighted the critical water level at the Cernavodă nuclear plant, which remains operational for now but faces a narrow safety margin.