El Corte Inglés has announced that it has reduced its electricity consumption, paper and water waste and has also reduced CO2 emissions by over 14,000 tonnes.
The Spanish retail group said that these figures come from its environmental policy to reduce and rationalise its consumption of greenhouse gasses.
The company said that it has paid ‘special attention’ to to recycling, and the minimisation of packaging. It has implemented plans to replace single use bags with alternatives like paper bags.
It said that it has also made implemented measures that make sure that the materials used are more sustainable and respectful of the environment.
Paper, Electricity & Water Efficiency
The company currently publishes 760,500 copies of catalogs printed on certified paper. These include catalogs like its Christmas, spring or summer campaigns, as well as hotel guides, Parking tickets, billing envelopes, brochures etc.
With regards to energy efficiency, El Corte Inglés has increased lighting technologies, commercial refrigeration, air conditioning and control systems in shopping centres with more efficient alternatives.
Through a project called Retrofit, the company is adapting to more modernised methods of improving the energy efficiency and performance of its products. One example is by incorporating doors and lids to frozen and refrigerated furniture, which has saved its department stores up to 50% on energy consumption.
As for the Sustainable Water Management Plan, El Corte Inglés reports that work is being done to improve the quality of the discharges. It said, ‘Shopping centres have incorporated new techniques of wastewater treatment, which consist of ecological systems of microbial fermentation.'
The company has also made 'adjustments to the operating regime of the cooling towers, replacing the former with a seasonal consumption system adapted to each commercial centre. Also, more efficient faucets equipped with timers and adjustable flow have been installed.’
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Aidan O’Sullivan. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
