PENNY wins the Energy Efficient Company award again

VEP – an energy efficiency program ranked among the leading in Europe by the European Commission – collects and evaluates the energy savings of domestic companies and institutions. The saved energy is illustrated by a Virtual Power Plant, the volume of which, based on the data for 2024–2025, will already reach 80% of the capacity of the Paks nuclear power plant. Thus, it is now considered the second largest “power plant” in Hungary.

Energy efficiency in everyday operations

One ​​of the flagships of PENNY’s sustainability efforts was the nationwide refrigerator door installation project, completed by 2025, during which the discount chain installed modern, closed glass doors on its wall refrigerators in all 241 stores. As a result of the measure, the company’s electricity consumption decreased by more than 10%, while gas consumption dropped significantly, by more than 50%.

The amount of electricity saved corresponds to the annual consumption of more than 3,000 Hungarian households, and the natural gas savings correspond to the annual needs of more than 1,500 families.

Modern stores, greener operations

The investments serve not only the environment, but also the comfort of customers. The modernized cooling systems are quieter, more energy-efficient, and with their more aesthetic appearance, they provide a fresh, more transparent store image. Energy efficiency has thus become not just a technological development, but a part of the everyday customer experience.

“For us, energy saving is not just a corporate objective or a project launched for financial reasons, but a responsible approach that creates a more livable, more sustainable future for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren. For years, PENNY has been consistently working to ensure that economic efficiency goes hand in hand with environmental responsibility in its operations. We believe that future business success lies in conscious energy use and shared responsibility”

– stated Botond Bánszky, PENNY Hungary’s energy manager.

With this recognition, PENNY was among the awardees alongside numerous large companies that apply energy efficiency solutions in an exemplary manner – thus confirming that conscious operation is also possible in retail.