Final answer:
Arguments for less energy consumption include refrigerators and freezers not working as hard in a cooler store, potentially conserving energy. Conversely, arguments against it consider the potentially higher energy demand of air conditioning systems to maintain the lower temperature.
Step-by-step explanation:
Grocery store managers may argue that keeping a store at a lower temperature can lead to less total energy consumption during the summer. This could potentially be due to the fact that refrigerators and freezers do not have to work as hard to maintain the cold temperatures required for preserving food if the ambient temperature is also lower. This would theoretically reduce the amount of electricity these appliances need to cycle on and off, thus saving energy.
However, the overall energy consumption of the store also includes the energy required to keep the store at a lower temperature, which might increase due to the need to run air conditioning systems more frequently and at higher intensities than if the store temperature was set higher. Therefore, the argument could be refuted by considering that the increased use of air conditioning could outweigh the energy savings from the refrigeration units. It's essential to conduct a comprehensive analysis of energy usage that considers both the reduction in refrigeration unit cycling and the increase in air conditioning usage to determine the net effect on total energy consumption during the summer. Such a study would help to conclusively support or refute the claim made by the grocery store managers.