Retailers are helping consumers live more sustainable lives despite cost-of-living challenge - BRC

Friday, 3 November 2023 08:53

The BRC’s Climate Action Roadmap Showcase celebrates the best sustainability initiatives in retail, showing how the industry is working towards its commitment to reach Net Zero by 2040, including supply chains, a full ten years ahead of the Government target. This year, four retailers were singled out for their exceptional work in delivering meaningful change through their sustainability initiatives. Winning entrants spanned the breadth of the industry, from food to...Request free trial

Winning entrants spanned the breadth of the industry, from food to electronics to DIY. These initiatives, along with many other case studies submitted to the Showcase, have helped to reduce carbon emissions by tens of thousands of tonnes since 2020.

Showcase submissions covered five major areas of carbon emission reduction: in consumer behaviour, in transport and logistics, in properties, waste, and supply chains. They were judged by experts including those from WWF, WRAP and the Carbon Trust.

Winning entries were picked for their ambition and impact. Screwfix’s initial roll out of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil powered vehicles (Driving Towards Net Zero Properties) reduced carbon emissions by over 2,000 tonnes of CO₂e, with plans in place to quadruple this figure. While Currys (Reducing Waste) made 1.3m repairs to old technology last year and collected over 100,000 tonnes of tech for reuse or recycling.

Other entries were picked for innovation and daring to be different. Ocado’s digital deposit return scheme (Changing Consumer Behaviour) demonstrated the potential of technology to enhance household recycling efforts in a cost-effective manner. Meanwhile, John Lewis Partnership compared the effectiveness of different heat pump technologies using digital models, allowing the best approaches to be scaled up to over 350 stores.

The Showcase is taking place during the BRC’s Climate Action Week, which aims to promote the BRC’s Climate Action Roadmap, a pledge by over 80 major retailers to get the industry and its supply chains to Net Zero by 2040, and encourage retailers to go further, faster. This is an important part of the wider goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5^oC above pre-industrial levels.

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive at the BRC, said:

“The cost of living crisis means retailers are focusing ever harder on delivering their customers with the best possible value. However, the commitment to the environment remains strong, and the Showcase gives a flavour of the incredible innovation and ambition to sustainability taking place right across the industry.

"Submissions showed us some of the best practice the industry has to offer, and an opportunity for retailers large and small to learn from each other. The Climate Action Roadmap brings together the entire industry, and the Showcase is another way we can foster and share best practice for the benefit of everyone.

“There is still so much more to do. Retail goods are responsible for 30% of all household greenhouse gas emissions. With the terrible impact of Climate Change being seen day in day out, we must act quickly and decisively and not let the cost of living crisis slow us down The commercial case for reducing climate emissions is there to see; whether it’s reducing energy bills, developing new services to repair products, or minimising logistics costs - investment today is helping to increase the bottom line tomorrow. Consumer expectations are also rising, so those who don’t step up to the plate risk being left behind.”

Summary of Highly Commended (winning) entries (links provide greater detail on each initiative)

Retailer	Summary of initiative
Reducing Waste
Currys	Currys is reducing electronic waste by increasing the lifetime of electronic devices through a live repair service, making almost 1.3m repairs last year. They are also increasing their takeback of unwanted electronic items.
Changing Consumer behaviour
Ocado	Ocado debuted a world-first digital deposit return scheme (DDRS) pilot for milk bottles in partnership with Polytag. The initiative demonstrated that households would be able to scan their discarded packaging before recycling, and redeem their deposit through a mobile app.
Driving towards net zero properties
John Lewis Partnership	John Lewis has worked with Wirth Research, using digital models, updated in real time, to test possible heat pump options. Solutions have been integrated in Waitrose shops refrigeration systems, alongside refrigeration upgrades.
Reducing emission in transport and logistics
Screwfix	Despite opening new stores, Screwfix decreased fleet emissions by 17% by increasing the proportion of the fleet run on HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) to 85%. This fuel is sourced from renewable feedstocks that are unsuitable for human or animal consumption.
Tackling Emissions in the Supply Chain:
	This is one of the most important categories, accounting for the largest part of retail’s emissions. While entries covered many aspects of business activity, the judges did not feel there was any single entries with a clear and large enough supply chain focus, so chose not to commend any submissions for this category. However, special mentions were given to several companies that were implementing innovative ideas in their business.

Commended Entries were:

Retailer	Summary of initiative
Reducing Waste (joint)
M&S	Marks and Spencer has been making strides in both reducing food waste and increasing food redistribution with the target of achieving 100% edible surplus redistribution by 2025/26. Initiatives included removing some ‘best before’ dates and turning old bread into frozen garlic bread.
Simba	Simba introduced a not-for-profit mattress recycling service that recycles mattresses made by any company. They also introduced a certified refurbishment programme for mattresses returned under their comfort guarantee.
Changing Consumer behaviour
Dunelm	Dunelm’s Conscious Choice Collection uses recycled material from their textile takeback scheme to provide sustainable, circular homewares. Dunelm has taken back 1000+ tonnes of textiles for reuse, with an increase of 246% in collection compared to 2022.
Driving towards net zero properties
Central England Coop	Central Coop installed solar photovoltaic cells (solar PV) to save energy in 52 stores, with the rollout continuing to another 45 sites by the end of 2023. Installing solar PV has led to a forecast in annual saving of over £2.1 million, as well as a 9.5% reduction in carbon footprint.
Reducing emission in transport and logistics
Costa	Costa analysed all their store deliveries and made improvements to reduce mileage and save fuel. Since the launch, Costa have reduced their final mile emissions by approximately 5%, with further savings expected.

-ENDS-

Judges were:

Nick Beighton, Chief Executive of MatchesFashion;
Bea Elliott – Retail and Sustainability Consultant at IBM Consulting
James Harman – Business Development and Retail Specialist at Mitsubishi
Lindsay Hooper, Executive Director of the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership;
Hugh Jones – Managing Director at Carbon Trust
Steve Kenzie – Executive Director at the UN Global Compact Network, UK
Matt Mace – Content Editor at Edie
Seb Munden – Chair of WRAP
Toni Pearce, Interim Director of Advocacy at WWF;
Baroness Kate Parminter – Chair of the Lords Select Committee on Climate Change

All submissions can be found here: https://brc.org.uk/climate-roadmap/climate-action-roadmap-showcase/