Supermarkets and the environment

Supermarkets are on the frontline in the fight against climate change. Their sheer size and dominance mean they are major contributors of greenhouse gas emissions, plastics and food waste.  

Supermarkets face sustainability issues on multiple fronts. Firstly, their operations – powering their shops, refrigerators, delivery vans and depots, packaging their products and handling their waste. And secondly, the products they sell have big environmental impacts, whether it’s carbon emissions from shipping them across the world, or issues such as deforestation and water use in their production. 

They also play a key role when it comes to influencing both consumers and suppliers – what they stock, as well as how it’s labelled and priced, can all make a difference. 

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Supermarket sustainability issues

Supermarkets' business-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, plastic use and food waste are some of the biggest environmental sustainability issues they have to tackle. 

But looking at the impact of all the products they sell, their own emissions are only the start of the story. There are plenty more issues to consider in the supply chains of grocery products. Whether it's water use, deforestation, organic production, sustainable fishing, biodegradable chemicals – the list goes on. 

These concerns are mostly further down the supply chain, beyond the scope of the supermarkets’ direct operations. But it's estimated that supermarkets' supply chains account for over 95% or more of their total greenhouse gas footprint.

In the last few years, supermarkets have got serious about calculating both their own emissions, and those of their supply chains. They now all report annual emissions calculations for their supply/value chain.

They all also have either targets to reduce these emissions in the near future or ambitions to get to net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 or 2050. 

Some supermarkets have targets that are validated by SBTi - the Science Backed Targets Initiative - a charity that verifies emissions targets set by companies in line with climate science and the goals of the Paris Agreement.

All supermarkets have plans to reduce their packaging and plastic packaging, in particular, and targets for reducing their food waste.

Below, we have set out the most recently available GHG emissions, plastic use and food waste figures for each major grocery retailer. 

We've also included their reduction targets so you can see what efforts and progress are being made by your supermarket.

Supermarket GHG emissions

^aOwn operations refers to Scope 1 & 2 emissions - scope 1 emissions are direct emissions from owned or controlled sources such as company vehicle emissions, refrigerant gases from fridges and freezers, scope 2 covers indirect emissions from the purchase and use of electricity. We have used location-based figures.

^bSupply chain refers to Scope 3 emissions. Scope 3 should include all other indirect emissions that occur in the upstream and downstream activities of an organisation. The retailers with SBTi validated targets should be assessing theis scope 3 emissions in a consistent way. Other retailers should be using similar frameworks to assess their value chain emissions but there may be differences in how they report the data.

^cCo-op has shifted its energy sourcing strategy away from REGO certificates, which it previously used to ensure 100% renewable energy, which means its percentage of reported renewable energy has dropped from 100% to 0%. It now believes that REGOs are not the most effective way to increase the amount of renewable energy in the UK so is purchasing its energy through Corporate Power Purchase Agreements (cPPAs). This means it will buy its renewable power directly rather than through certificates. Most retailers are still buying REGOs.

^dMorrisons buys its fuel directly from the supplier and has not given a percentage of this that is renewable (40.8% of power supplied by the National Grid is renewable). Morrisons says it invests directly in its estate to reduce consumption, on projects such as HVAC upgrades, solar panels and fridge doors. 

^eM&S made the decision that from April 2023 it would not be renewing its REGOs contracts in the UK as it believes this is no longer the best way forward. It is working instead on reducing its overall demand for energy and exploring further self-generation opportunities to add to the ones it already has.

^fOcado's operational emissions are so small because they only include Ocado Retail's head office and no operational logistics as these fall under Ocado Group and are counted as Ocado Retail's scope 3 emissions.

^gTesco's figures cover Tesco Group operations including its operations in the Republic of Ireland and Central Europe. This applies to all tables

^hTesco's scope 3 emissions make up an estimated 97% of its total emissions. Its total emissions are 73.2 million tCO2e year and the figure on the table is calculated based on this.

Supermarket plastic and packaging

*Primary plastic packaging

**Iceland had a target (which it has not met) to be entirely plastic-packaging free by 2023. It had achieved a 38% reduction by the end of 2022.

Supermarket food waste

* Asda says part of the increase in food waste figures is down to an industry-wide issue with the processing of food waste for animal feed and a realisation that some of this was actually going to anaerobic digestion. 

**Tesco's food waste figures aren't reported for the same reason. After an internal review it found that food which it believed was being processed for animal feed was going to anaerobic digestion and it terminated its relationship with its food waste processor.

The Science Based Targets initiative

Supermarkets and other big organisations and companies usually use the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to set their targets. The SBTi is a collaboration between several other organisations to provide a framework for companies to assess and reduce their emissions in line with the Paris Agreement (to attempt to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees). It is incorporated as a charity.

Companies working with SBTi make a commitment to measure their emissions and then develop a plan to reduce these. Once a commitment is made, the company has 24 months to have them validated.

Some supermarkets have had their targets validated. Others have recently submitted or resubmitted their targets to the SBTi. The table above includes columns for whether the supermarkets' near and long-term targets have been validated by the SBTi. 

Asda and Iceland do not have validated near or long term SBTi targets. Asda did have commitments but they were recently removed as they did not reflect its change in its business model - its recent expansion into convenience stores. Asda plans to resubmit targets for validation once it has collected data from the new convenience store sites it has recently bought.

Iceland has not publicly committed.

Aldi, Lidl, M&S and Morrisons do not have net zero/long-term targets that are SBTi validated. M&S had its net-zero commitment removed but is resubmitting its targets this year (taking into account updated guidance on forest, land and agricultural emissions, also known as FLAG).

The Co-op, Ocado, Sainsbury's, Tesco and the John Lewis Partnership (Waitrose) have both their short and long-term targets approved.

If companies that operate in land-intensive sectors have long-term/net zero targets approved then they now must also have Forests, Land and Agriculture targets (FLAG) to reduce these specific emissions by at least 72% by 2050. They must also set near-term targets.

If a supermarket has SBTi validated targets then it will have collected data about its emissions in a standardised way which should ensure all of its emissions are properly reported.

Aldi's sustainability targets

Net zero own operations target: 2035 (SBTi validated)

Net zero value/supply chain target 2050 (not SBTi validated)

Aldi is the fifth largest UK supermarket based on revenue. Like all supermarkets, nearly all of the Aldi South Group's emissions (99%) are scope 3 emissions. 

It says it is currently developing its zero-carbon roadmap for the future. While it is targeting net zero by 2040, it doesn't have any near-term reduction targets for scope 3 and hasn't published its scope 3 emissions. It is the only supermarket here not to have done so.

It has committed that by the end of 2024, 75% of its suppliers will have science-based targets for emissions from purchased goods and have submitted targets for scope 1 & 2 and scope 3 and FLAG to the SBTi.

It says it was the first UK food retailer to achieve its food waste goal, after hitting its initial target eight years early. It saw a 90% reduction in food waste intensity in 2022, after a 57% reduction of food waste.

In 2021, it introduced fridge doors across all new and newly refurbished stores, which has helped to save the equivalent of over 2,000 tonnes of carbon emissions a year.

By 2027, 85% of sales (based on tonnage) should be from healthy products. In 2023 it had achieved 80%.

Asda's sustainability targets

Net zero own operations target: 2040 (not SBTi validated)

Net zero value/supply chain target 2040 (not SBTi validated)

Asda is the third largest UK supermarket based on revenue. It has a target to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions within its own operations by 2040. A number of the other supermarkets we looked at are hoping to do so by 2035. 

By the end of 2024, it's aiming for a 50% reduction in scope 1 & 2 greenhouse gas emissions. By 2022, it had achieved a 40% drop on the baseline it set in 2015. 

It has now measured its scope 3 emissions, and in 2022 these were calculated at 27,720,786 tCO23. It has not set a near-term target to reduce this, but reduction targets are planned for 2025. 

It is targeting a 20% reduction in food waste by 2025. However, its 2022 figures were greater (at 27,837 tonnes/year) than its baseline figure of 26,826.

It reduced its plastic packaging by 15% by 2021. It has recently set a new target for a further 20% total reduction in primary packaging tonnage on food per 1% of market share by 2030.

95.8% of Asda's packaging is currently recyclable. It's aiming for 100% by 2025. It has a target for all own-brand packaging to be made with an average of 30% recycled materials. It currently sits at 28% (2023 data).

It has a goal to increase the proportion of healthy (non-high fat, salt or sugar content) own-brand products to 60%. In 2023 this sat at 52%. It also wants to increase Asda Plant Based sales by 100%.

It has recently ended a refillables trial that was being tested at four stores in the UK, saying the economics were 'too challenging'.

Co-op's sustainability targets

Net zero own operations target: 2035 (SBTi validated)

Net zero value/supply chain target: 2040 (SBTi validated)

Co-op is the sixth biggest UK supermarket based on revenue. Its targets are validated by the SBTi. 

It has a target to reach net zero for its supply chain/scope 3 carbon emissions by 2040 (along with Asda, Iceland, M&S and Ocado). This is a more ambitious target than the standard 2050.

By 2025, it says it will have gone well beyond its near-term target of reducing scope 3 emissions by 11%. It has already reduced emissions across its value chain by 21%.

Co-op has also committed to reducing absolute scope 3 FLAG emissions by 42.4% by 2030 (from a base set in 2016). This also means achieving zero deforestation by 2025.

Co-op's percentage of renewable energy used has dropped from 100% to 0%. This is because it's no longer buying REGO certificates to back its electricity purchases. It says that it believes this is not the most effective way to increase the amount of renewable energy in the UK. Instead, it is increasing the amount of energy it procurs via corporate Power Purchase Agreements (cPPAs). 

This means it buys some of its electricity directly from renewable energy generators, such as solar or wind farms. Co-op also says it is exploring self-generation opportunities to create its own renewable power.

It's already achieved its target of making all packaging 'easy to recycle', either at kerbside or in one of its stores. It has reduced its own-brand plastic footprint by 25.7%, against a baseline year of 2018. It's also reduced the overall carbon footprint of its packaging.

Relative to its size, Co-op's published scope 3/supply chain emissions have an overall smaller impact that other retailers. In fact, the only supermarket to have fewer supply chain emissions is Ocado, which is a much smaller business in terms of its revenue.

Iceland's sustainability targets

Net zero own operations target: 2040 (Not SBTi validated)

Net zero value/supply chain target: 2040 (Not SBTi validated)

Iceland is the 10th biggest UK supermarket based on revenue. It says it has achieved a 74% reduction in operational emissions from a baseline year of 2011. 

It plans to be net zero in its own operations by 2040. However, it should be noted that Iceland's targets are not SBTi validated. If it were to set SBTi validated targets, it would not be able to compare today's data to the year 2011 to measure its progress. In 2011 the National Grid's fuel mix was very different - around 75% of electricity came from fossil fuels. Now, that figure is around 35%. So some of Iceland's reported reduction in emissions is likely to be down to this.

Iceland has measured its scope 3 emissions and has a target to reach net zero by 2040 for its supply chain. 

Iceland planned to rid its own label packaging of plastic by 2023, but did not meet that target. It said that market pressures made it impossible. It still says it has a target to remove plastic from its packaging entirely, but hasn't set a new date by which to achieve this.

Iceland received a lot of media attention for removing palm oil from all its own-label food as part of a sustainability campaign started in 2018. In 2022, it reversed that decision as a result of supply chain issues caused by the war in Ukraine, primarily a shortage of sunflower oil. Certified sustainable palm oil is now used in some of its own-label products.

In 2021, Iceland launched 'Fridgeable' labelling which gives consumers information about how long its frozen food can be safely kept in the fridge so that those without a freezer can still buy it.

Iceland didn't respond to our request to check the data in the tables above.

Lidl's sustainability targets

Net zero own operations target: 2050 (SBTi validated)

Net zero value/supply chain target: 2050 (Not SBTi validated)

Lidl is the ninth biggest UK supermarket based on revenue. It has committed to reduce its scope 1 & 2 and scope 3 (non-FLAG) absolute emissions by 42% by 2030 (from a 2020 baseline). 

Its targets are aligned with SBTi guidance but its long-term targets haven't been validated yet.

It also has a target to stop using any fossil fuels to deliver products to stores by 2030 (much of this involves transitioning from diesel to biogas for its transport vehicles).

Lidl wants to increase its healthy and healthier products sales to at least 80% by 2025. Its 2023 sustainability report states it is 99% of the way there.

Lidl also has a specific target to achieve a 400% increase in its own brand meat-free and milk alternative range by 2025, against a 2020 baseline.

Morrisons' sustainability targets

Net zero own operations target: 2035 (SBTi validated)

Net zero value/supply chain target: None

Morrisons is the fourth biggest UK supermarket based on revenue. Its wider supply chain accounts for 97% of total emissions, and it measures its scope 3 footprint every 2 years. 

It's so far achieved a 28% reduction in its scope 1 and 2 emissions, from a 2019 baseline.

It has a target to reach net zero carbon emissions within its agricultural supply chain by 2030. This covers beef, pork, lamb, potatoes and eggs.

Its scope 1 and 2 emissions align with limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees as per the Paris Agreement. It has a near-term ambition to reduce scope 3 emissions by 30%, but no long-term target currently.

It is planning its own solar farm and has installed solar power at 90 of its retail and manufacturing sites.

Morrisons recently got rid of the use by date on its own-brand milk. Milk is the third most wasted food and drink product in the UK, after potatoes and bread, so this move is designed to encourage consumers to make their own judgement as to when to throw it out.

M&S's sustainability targets

Net zero own operations target: 2035 (SBTi validated)

Net zero value/supply chain target: 2040 (Not SBTi validated)

M&S is the sixth biggest supermarket based on revenue. It has reduced scope 1 and 2 emissions by 33% from its base year (2016/17), and has committed to become a net zero business across its whole value chain by 2040. 

94% of emissions are from its supply chain. Its targets are SBTi approved.

It has a target to double sales of its Plant Kitchen vegan range by 2024/25. It also plans for all palm oil to be segregated and soy to be verified deforestation and conversion-free by 2025/26.

It's been working with Mondra to assess the carbon footprint of over 5,000 food products so that it can better understand the greenhouse gas emissions produced at every stage of its supply chain.

It has a target to remove 1 billion units of plastic packaging by 2027/28 (from 2017/2018). It has so far taken out 144 million units.

It says it is making good progress towards its 50% food waste reduction target. Initiatives include turning surplus bread baked fresh instore into frozen garlic bread.

Ocado's sustainability targets

Net zero own operations target: 2040 (SBTi validated)

Net zero value/supply chain target: 2040 (SBTi validated)

Ocado Retail is a joint venture between Ocado Group and M&S. It is the 11th biggest supermarket based on revenue. 

The Ocado Group sells its own robotic technology to other retailers and also has a logistics arm. 

Ocado Retail's scope 1 and 2 emissions are very small because most of its emissions fall under those of the Ocado Group, so they are counted as scope 3 emissions. For example, operational logistics and transport to customers' homes comes under scope 3. Their own operations emissions therefore only include emissions from two head office buildings.

Ocado Retail says that scope 3 accounts for over 99% of its total emissions. 56% of these come from agriculture.

It has had its near and long-term targets approved by the SBTi.

Currently 93% of Ocado Own Range packaging is recyclable and it has removed 141 tonnes on own range packaging since September 2021.

Sainsbury's sustainability targets

Net zero own operations target: 2035 (SBTi validated)

Net zero value/supply chain target: 2050 (SBTi validated)

Sainsbury's is the second biggest supermarket based on revenue in the UK.

Its targets are STBi validated and it has also set FLAG targets to reduce emissions by 36.4% by 2030 and to have net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

It has set a target that by 2025 85% of its sales by tonnage will be 'healthy and better for you'. It's currently at 81%.

Sainsbury's offers the most MSC-certified seafood products in the UK.

It's recently introduced cardboard/pulp-based trays instead of plastic for its salmon, trout, breaded fish and chicken products as part of its mission to reduce plastic packaging by 50%. Replacing plastic with cardboard for all mushroom containers will save over 775 tonnes of plastic a year.

Tesco's sustainability targets

Net zero own operations target: 2035 (SBTi validated)

Net zero value/supply chain target: 2050 (SBTi validated)

Tesco is the biggest supermarket in the UK based on revenue. Its total emissions are the largest amongst supermarket retailers due to its overall size and market share, which is over 25%. Its emissions for scope 1, 2 and 3 are therefore, unsurprisingly, also the largest.

It says that reductions in emissons from its own operations have so far been achieved by adopting 100% renewable electricity and energy and bringing in refrigeration efficiencies. 

It plans to have a fully electric fleet of home delivery vehicles by 2030. It has a target to have net zero carbon emissions in its own operations by 2035. This is an ambitious target, shared by Aldi, Co-op, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Waitrose.

98% of Tesco's carbon footprint lies with its Scope 3 emissions. 70% of its suppliers (as of January 2024) have set net zero targets. 

As per SBTi requirements, it now has a target to reduce absolute emissions from FLAG (Forest, Land and Agriculture) by 39% by 2032 and 72% by 2050, starting from a 2019/20 baseline. This is regarded as Net Zero by the SBTi. Committing to FLAG targets includes committing to zero deforestation by 2025.

It has a target to increase the proportion of its sales that come from healthier products to 65% by 2025. It has removed volume-led promotions on products covered by HFSS (high fat, salt and sugar) legislation.  

In partnership with Loop, it trialled a range of refillable branded and own brand products in a number of stores and online but the trial ended in 2022 and has not been rolled out again.

Waitrose's sustainability targets

Net zero own operations target: 2035 (SBTi validated)

Net zero value/supply chain target: 2050 (SBTi validated)

Waitrose is the eighth biggest UK supermarket based on revenue. It is a part of the John Lewis Partnership.

The John Lewis Partnership has a target to reach net zero carbon emissions in its own operations by 2035, and across its value chain by 2050. 

It has set targets to reduce scope 1 and 2 emissions by 60% by 2030. Scope 3 goods and services emissions also need to be cut by 42% by 2030/31, starting from a 2020/21 base year. FLAG emissions must be cut by 30.3%. 

Its targets are SBTi validated. In 2022/23 it had reduced energy and industrial value chain emissions by 24% from the base year and reduced FLAG emissions by 10%.

Its own operations emission reductions will mainly be met through decarbonising its transport fleet and the energy used by its buildings. All the electricity it used in 2022/3 for its own operations was already 100% renewable (based on REGO certificates) but for 2023/24 this had slipped to 91.9%. John Lewis cites external pressures.

It has a target for all its primary product packaging across the John Lewis and Waitrose brand to be recyclable, reusable or home compostable by 2025. It's currently at 93.1% for John Lewis and 96.9% for Waitrose.

Waitrose has targets to reduce food waste by 50% against a 2018 baseline. For the last reporting year (2023/4) it had achieved 27.5%.

61% of its own-brand food meets its Good Health product standards - it's aiming 65% by 2026.

John Lewis owns its own farm - Leckford Estate - where it is trialling various regenerative and lower carbon initiatives, such as producing its own tractor biomethane fuel from the resident cows' methane.

Waitrose offers refillable options in four of its stores (three in Oxfordshire and one in Gloucestershire).

Not sure where to shop? Find out which supermarket is the best rated by Which? members

Shop more sustainably at the supermarket

Many of the environmental issues associated with food production can seem beyond the power of ordinary consumers, but there are important ways we can act. 

Your individual circumstances – where you shop, what you buy, how you get there, and what you do with the food once home – all make an impact. Only you will know where you can make the best, and most practical, changes for your household. 

There are key choices you can make in the supermarket aisles. Here are some of our top tips: 

• Follow the seasons: Fruit and veg that’s naturally in season is more likely to be produced locally without using a heated greenhouse. Look for UK-grown produce, and get them when they’re at their best. They are usually better value then, too, so buy in bulk and preserve or freeze them to enjoy all year round. Out-of-season food can be grown sustainably in warmer climates, but avoid any that’s air-freighted, as flying adds a big carbon footprint. Air-freighted foods often includes berries, asparagus, green beans. But air-freighting makes up a tiny proportion of food transportation miles (0.16%); most food comes by sea or road and transport will be a very small proportion of total emissions.

• Waste not, want not: Plan meals and write a shopping list so you’re less likely to buy more than you need. Don’t be tempted by two-for-one offers, especially on perishable items, unless you know you can use or freeze them. Buying in bulk can reduce packaging, but if you can’t eat it all immediately, freeze portions for later. Food can still be eaten beyond ‘best before’ and ‘display until’ dates – just use your judgment. Some supermarkets have removed use by dates from milk and yoghurt and best before dates from fruit and veg – use judgment before throwing food away.

• Shop ‘naked’: Avoid plastic packaging by buying loose, unpackaged groceries. Take your own reusable produce bags for fruit and veg, and jars or lidded containers if your supermarket has refill stations for dry goods such as pasta or cereals. Some shops also allow you to fill your own container with deli products. Look out for easily recyclable paper and cardboard packaging, and choose refillable products, which are generally better for the environment.

• Be flexible: A ‘flexitarian’ diet includes more plant-based foods, while still allowing for some animal products. Beef, lamb and dairy have the biggest carbon footprints in our diet, so try replacing some of your red meat intake with vegetables and pulses, which are often cheaper and healthier as well as better for the planet. There’s a wide range of dairy alternatives too, with oat milk and pea milk considered to be among the most sustainable choices. Find out more about milk alternatives and how to buy the most sustainable seafood.

• Choose an eco slot: Online deliveries can be a lower-carbon option, with some supermarkets offering ‘eco’ or ‘green’ delivery slots, where their drivers are already delivering in your area. And although you might realistically need to rely on your car for the weekly shop, if you happen to have a short shopping list, walking, cycling or using public transport will all help to cut your petrol bills as well as your carbon footprint.

Find out more: how to recycle in the UK