I recently had a new kitchen installed with an A+++-rated fridge-freezer. The fridge supposedly uses 149kWh per annum but when I measure its energy usage, pushed into place in the fitted kitchen, it's using more like 220 kWh. If I pull it out, the usage goes back down to the equivalent of 149. It has good ventilation at the back and top (there's a grill over the top of it), but it has 2 side grills which I think are the problem. The fridge is so tight between two sets of drawers/cupboards that the air has no room to circulate.
If I could get the side panels of the drawers/cupboards modified to incorporate 2 small grills on either side, would this be enough to make much difference? The air coming out of the side vents could circulate inside the drawers and cupboards, but they would still be closed at the front. I've attached an illustration of the kitchen to show the layout.
