Tesco launches low-carbon broccoli in stores this week
Tesco will stock 50 tonnes of broccoli from its low-carbon concept farm in Lincolnshire this week as part of its push towards sustainability.
The farm was developed alongside Tesco’s vegetable suppliers, and the plants were grown using different low-carbon practices, including using fuel alternatives and carbon renewal techniques.
Natalie Smith, head of sustainable agriculture and fisheries said: “It’s great to see the first fresh vegetables from our low-carbon concept farm now being stocked in Tesco stores across the UK. One of the aims of the farm is to test and learn from a variety of low-carbon approaches, which in turn can de-risk the process for other farms in our supply chain and further afield.
“Increasing funding for innovation in UK agriculture is one of the key recommendations in our Greenprint for UK Farming report, and it’s vital farmers have the ability to invest in new technology and approaches if we’re to tackle the challenges caused by climate change and nature loss.”
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Other sustainable agriculture methods were used by Tesco’s farming partner TH Clements, including cover cropping and growing produce using peat-free soil in glasshouses.
Peter Taylor, agriculture director at TH Clements said: “We’re thrilled the first broccoli grown on the low-carbon concept farm is now available in Tesco stores.
“As well as testing and scaling a number of different techniques, we want to ensure other farms in the Tesco supply chain can benefit from the work we’re doing, so it’s great to see the quality of the crop now being harvested. It’s performed just as well as crops grown using conventional methods, so there is real potential for these techniques to be used more widely.”
As part of future sustainability plans, Tesco plans to expand to low-carbon potato farming in the upcoming months.
The news comes after the supermarket retailer launched green farming incentives for its suppliers as it aims to reach its eco-conscious targets.
