Tesco and Asda are among 10 UK supermarkets that have joined a new partnership to help reduce emissions across their supply chains.
Alongside Aldi, Lidl, Co-op, M&S, Morrisons, Ocado and Waitrose, the supermarkets have partnered with decarbonisation platform Manufacture 2030 to provide their supply base with resources to limit emissions across sourcing, manufacturing and transportation.
A joint statement from the supermarkets said: “We cannot underestimate the scale of the task when it comes to decarbonising the grocery supply chain.
“But by empowering our suppliers to take action through our own, individual strategic partnerships with Manufacture 2030, we aim to remove thousands of tonnes of GHGs from our grocery supply chains.”
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It added: “We each, individually, restate our commitment to work with M2030 to reduce the environmental impacts of our grocery supply chains. This work is vital for the future of our planet, our businesses and, crucially, our customers.”
Manufacture 2030 head of retail partnerships Florence Batten-Turner said these supermarkets “play an influential role in decarbonisation,” adding that “collective action is vital to make the changes necessary to tackle the climate crisis”.
Last month, WWF chief executive Tanya Steele said: “The clock is ticking for people and planet but, within the food retail sector, the appetite is growing for action to shift our food system onto a sustainable footing.”
However, the organisation found that while most retailers reported reductions in the direct emissions associated with their operations (scope one and two greenhouse gas emissions), overall progress on scope three emissions is unclear and has increased for some retailers.
These emissions from retailer supply chains and the food they sell account for over 95% of total supermarket emissions.
Steele added: “We urge all UK retailers to step up to this commitment and work with businesses across their supply chains to accelerate action.”
