American retail giant Kroger reduced its supermarket food waste footprint by 9% in 2018, according to the company's 2019 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) report released earlier this week.
The retailer said it implemented measurable improvements in its retail operations and collaborated with more 'environmentally-conscious' associates.
Food Waste Diversion
Its food waste diversion from landfill during the year improved 13% year-on-year, to 40% in 2018.
The retailer also distributed 100 million pounds' worth of food from its stores, plants and distribution centres to the needy.
Elsewhere, it extended its 'Food Waste Warriors' educational programme to nine US cities, in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund.
The programme raises awareness among students and school staff as to where food comes from and what happens when it is thrown away.
Other Initiatives
Kroger reduced the amount of plastic resin in private-label packaging by 9.1 million pounds and said it was on track to achieve its goal of 10-million pounds by 2020.
It switched to certified sustainable sources for almost 88% of its wild-caught fresh and frozen seafood assortment, as well as purchasing more than 17 million pounds of Fair Trade-certified ingredients for private-label products.
© 2019 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
