SPAR Italy partner Ergon has announced plans to increase renewable energy production, reduce energy use and foster a green mindset across its operations.
The DESPAR operator in Sicily will step-up solar energy production by 30% to 40%, or about 10 megawatts. Ergon's parent company, Syneos, has issued its first corporate bonds worth €2.5 million to support the investment.
Income from the bond will be exclusively used to finance the photovoltaic facilities, the retailer noted.
In 2020, DESPAR Italia reported an 8.4% increase in turnover in full-year, to €3.9 billion, boosted by the opening of 60 stores during the period.
Of the group's total revenue, more than two thirds (68%) was generated by directly-owned shops and the remaining 32% by affiliated stores.
Fostering A Green Mindset
Ergon’s president and head of training, Paolo Canzonieri, added, “An additional pillar of our programme involves 8,000 hours of training for 300 colleagues, including managers, engineers, DC and retail team members. Focused on sustainability, it will develop transversal skills."
Elsewhere, the company will install new solar panels on the roofs of eight larger stores, which will add to the ones already in place at 14 company-owned outlets.
The retailer also aims to reduce energy use and is replacing existing in-store technologies with more energy-efficient solutions, such as LED lighting and CO2 refrigeration cabinets with energy-saving doors.
Recently, SPAR Austria introduced new environmentally friendly packaging for its range of Natur*pur Tyrolean organic potted herbs, which are made of 100% recycled material and are plastic-free.
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
