Editing Refrigerator (section)

=== Global adoption ===
The gradual global adoption of refrigerators marks a transformative era in food preservation and domestic convenience. Since the refrigerators introduction in the 20th century, refrigerators have transitioned from being luxurious items to everyday commodities which have altered the understandings of food storage practices. Refrigerators have significantly impacted various aspects of many individual's daily lives by providing food safety to people around the world spanning across a wide variety of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.

The global adoption of refrigerators has also changed how societies handle their food supply. The introduction of the refrigerator in different societies has resulted in the monetization and industrialized mass food production systems which are commonly linked to increased food waste, animal wastes, and dangerous chemical wastes being traced back into different ecosystems. In addition, refrigerators have also provided an easier way to access food for many individuals around the world, with many options that commercialization has promoted leaning towards low-nutrient dense foods.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Meuse |first=Matt |date=April 21, 2023 |title=How the humble household refrigerator changed the world — for better and for worse |url=https://www.cbc.ca/radio/spark/how-the-humble-household-refrigerator-changed-the-world-for-better-and-for-worse-1.6810938 }}</ref>

After consumer refrigerators became financially viable for production and sale on a large scale, their prevalence around the globe expanded greatly. In the United States, an estimated 99.5% of households have a refrigerator.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-11-05 |title=Not just a cool convenience: How electric refrigeration shaped the "cold chain" |url=https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/stories/not-just-cool-convenience-how-electric-refrigeration-shaped-cold-chain |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=americanhistory.si.edu |language=en}}</ref> Refrigerator ownership is more common in developed Western countries, but has stayed relatively low in Eastern and developing countries despite its growing popularity. Throughout Eastern Europe and the Middle East, only 80% of the population own refrigerators. In addition to this, 65% of the population in China are stated to have refrigerators. The distribution of consumer refrigerators is also skewed as urban areas exhibit larger refrigeration ownership percentages compared to rural areas.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Martinez |first1=Sebastian |last2=Murguia |first2=Juan M. |last3=Rejas |first3=Brisa |last4=Winters |first4=Solis |date=2021-01-13 |title=Refrigeration and child growth: What is the connection? |journal=Maternal & Child Nutrition |volume=17 |issue=2 |pages=e13083 |doi=10.1111/mcn.13083 |issn=1740-8695 |pmc=7988856 |pmid=33439555}}</ref>