Checkers, owned by South African retailer Shoprite, has announced that it is expanding its solar capacity with a number of rooftop solar photovoltaic installations.
This includes installations at Big Bay, generating 185 144 kWh; Knysna, generating 613 630 kWh; and Oudtshoorn, generating an additional 776 647 kWh.
The choice of location for the installations will be based on size, shading, tilt, location and construction.
Residential and other small rooftops represent about 65% of the national rooftop energy potential, the retailer said.
Through this measure, the retailer aims to reduce carbon emissions by 35,000 tonnes per year.
Elsewhere, the group added that it recently ramped up efforts to sustainably source palm oil, seafood and cocoa, and donated R138 million (€8,252,400) in surplus food to communities in need last year.
Read More: South Africa's Checkers Unveils Smaller-Format Store Concept
Tackling Climate Change
Commenting, Sanjeev Raghubir, sustainability manager at Shoprite, "At Checkers we acknowledge that climate change will, directly and indirectly, impact our business and the communities we are a part of.
"Solar power plays a significant role in our strategy to mitigate climate change and Checkers is continuously increasing its use of renewable energy and improving energy efficiency costs to reduce its indirect greenhouse gas emissions. Installations like these also strengthen the resilience and adaptive capacity of our operations and supply chain.”
Checkers also noted that it recycled more than 4,500 tonnes of plastic last year, 'keeping it from landfills and supporting the economy'. It recycles 4,604 kg of cardboard per hour and it is using recycled content in its product packaging.
Checkers aims to power 25% of operations with renewable energy by 2027.
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest technology news. Article by Nikita Naz Siddique. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
