Sainsbury’s to invest £1bn to reduce emissions to net zero by 2040
Sainsbury’s has pledged to invest £1bn over the next 20 years to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2040.
The supermarket giant, which currently has a carbon footprint of 1m tonnes, will focus on reducing emissions, food waste, plastic packaging and water usage.
Sainsbury’s will also boost its recycling, biodiversity and healthy and sustainable eating initiatives, the company announced this morning.
By the end of 2022, all Sainsbury’s stores will be 100 per cent lit by LED and the company has promised to halve its use of plastic packaging by 2025.
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The company has also committed to reducing food waste by 50 per cent by 2030.
Sainsbury’s chief executive Mike Coupe said: “Our commitment has always been to help customers live well for less, but we must recognise that living well now also means living sustainably.
“We have a duty to the communities we serve to continue to reduce the impact our business has on the environment and we are committing to reduce our own carbon emissions and become net zero by 2040, ten years ahead of the government’s own targets, because 2050 isn’t soon enough.”
Sainsbury’s will work with the Carbon Trust to assess emissions and set targets for reduction, while publicly reporting on its progress every six months.
Hugh Jones, MD advisory services of the Carbon Trust, added: “ “The Carbon Trust has worked with Sainsbury’s to set science-based targets for its own operations and is now working to extend these targets to the value chain.
“Sainsbury’s goal to get to net zero by 2040 is ambitious and will help raise the bar for the sector.”
The company has reduced its carbon emissions by 35 per cent in the last 15 years, while growing the business by 46 per cent.