Supermarkets praised for climate change stepsReport assesses green credentials of major stores
30 May 2009
Supermarkets have a 'very important' role to play in tackling climate change and are taking action to reduce their carbon footprint, a report said yesterday.
According to the UK Supermarkets 2009 Carbon Benchmark Report, the sector is taking the issue of climate change seriously and making positive steps to meet its green commitments.
The report assesses seven major food retailers - Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, The Co-operative Food, Waitrose and Asda - though doesn't name individual 'sector leaders and laggards'. It found large differences in store performance.
Supermarkets judged on climate change credentials
The report, published by ENDS Carbon and the University of Edinburgh Business School, said that supermarkets are directly responsible for around 1% of domestic greenhouse gas emissions.
Craig Mackenzie, director of ENDS Carbon, said: 'The objective of this report is not to name an overall winner, but to provide the companies with strong benchmarks to inform their carbon management activity.
'By repeating and improving this report year after year, we hope to support supermarkets' efforts to cut carbon emissions further'.
How shoppers can help tackle climate change
As a supermarket shopper you can do your bit in combating climate change too:
- Pack your shopping in reusable carrier bags
- Take steps to reduce excess food packaging
- Choose refills and refillable items and consider if you can recycle packaging
- Grow your own vegetables
- Think before you buy - ask yourself if you really need an item
We've got more information on excess food packaging and what supermarkets and other retailers are doing about it.
Comparing the supermarkets
Each store was judged on green criteria including electricity usage, refrigeration, carbon targets and supply chain carbon management.
The report highlighted several differences between the retailers, including one company that used a third less energy per square foot for its lighting, heating and air conditioning systems than the industry average, and two supermarkets with significantly lower carbon emissions during domestic transportation than other stores.
Differences in targets set by individual brands were also marked - Tesco has the most ambitious carbon reduction target of 5.6% a year up to 2020, compared with the sector average of 3.7% up to 2012, while Marks & Spencer has pledged to be fully carbon neutral by 2012.
Tesco and Sainsbury's both set a target to reduce plastic bag use by 50% by the end of 2008, while the other five stores only set a 25% target. Most of the data used in the study is from 2007.
Supermarkets: 'advanced' response to climate change
Mr Mackenzie said: 'The supermarket sector is one of the most advanced in the UK in its response to climate change.
'But while every company in the study is doing very well in reducing emissions, some firms are performing better and have set tougher goals for themselves.'
The biggest opportunity for supermarkets to help in the fight against climate change lies not in cutting their own carbon emissions even further, but by using their size and influence to educate smaller supply chain partners and their large customer base, the report said.
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