Friday 29 October 2021

Sainsbury’s pledges to become net zero in its operations by 2035

Sainsbury's has announced it will reach net zero in its own operations by 2035, bringing forward the target by five years.

To help achieve its target the retail giant plans to install 100% LED lighting across its supermarkets by the end of this year.

The measure is predicted to reduce lighting energy consumption by 70% and store energy consumption by 20%.

The new target follows a financial investment of £320 million in the past ten years, funding more than 3,100 sustainable initiatives.

Earlier this year, Sainsbury’s committed to reducing its Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030, with a long-term commitment to being net zero by 2050 across its value chain.

The company said it has cut its carbon footprint by 47% in the last 17 years despite its space increasing by over 40%.

By the end of the year, the retail giant said it will be using 100% renewable electricity across its sites.

Simon Roberts, Chief Executive Officer of Sainsbury’s, said: “The clock is ticking. Climate targets matter, but action to deliver them matters more.

"We recognise that we not only have a responsibility to our colleagues and the communities we serve in the UK, but to those we source from globally, to reduce the impact our business has on the environment."