Tesco has launched a new climate change manifesto ahead of this year’s crucial COP26 Climate Change Summit in Glasgow.
The retailer has identified five key areas of focus where it can make the most difference, including cutting absolute emissions from energy, supporting the UK’s transition to electric transport, tackling food waste, supporting the sustainable production of food, and helping customers eat healthy sustainable diets.
Priorities
Setting out Tesco’s priorities at The Grocer Conference, Tesco CEO, Ken Murphy stressed the need for both efficiency improvements and cutting-edge innovation if the retailer, and the wider food industry, is to meet its climate change targets.
In 2017, Tesco committed to science-based climate targets on a 1.5-degree trajectory. It aims to reach its net-zero climate target in the UK by 2035, fifteen years earlier than originally planned.
Through a combination of efficiency improvements and switch to low-carbon innovation, Tesco delivered a 50% absolute emissions reduction last year on a 2015 baseline, beating its 2020 science-based target of 35%.
Speaking at the conference, Tesco Group CEO, Ken Murphy, called on the food industry to play its part to deliver against the UK’s climate ambitions, saying, “In this critical decade for tackling climate change, it’s vital we challenge ourselves to be more ambitious in our aims and accelerate progress against them. At Tesco, we’re playing our part by creating a better basket for our customers and the planet.
"No one business can tackle these challenges alone. We must take collective action as a food industry to drive the transformational changes necessary to meet the UK’s climate commitments."
Emission Reduction Strategy
Tesco has vowed to continue its work to reduce emissions across its operation, including switching to renewable energy in all its operations by 2030, with the group already using 100% renewable electricity in the UK and Europe.
The chain plans to partner with renewable energy investors to launch new renewable power generation projects and create new offsite UK solar and wind farms.
It also plans to launch its first fleet of 30 electric home delivery vans and switch to a fully electric delivery fleet by 2028.
To support the wider adoption of electric vehicles across the nation, Tesco is also rolling out 2,400 charging points for customers across 600 stores, with 400 stores already fitted with the chargers.
By the time the programme has concluded, Tesco will have boosted the UK’s electric charging network by 14%.
© 2021 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Conor Farrelly. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
