Retail giants including Asda, Sainsbury’s and Tesco are set to announce a new, industry wide set of climate change pledges.
It is the first time the sector has come together to make such a wide range of pledges.
British Retail Consortium (BRC) director general Stephen Robertson, who will announce the programme this evening at the House of Commons, said: “By agreeing industry-wide goals for the next five years, retail is ratchetting up its environmental commitments.
“We recognise we can make a real difference through our own operations and by supporting customers and staff in ways that suit their budgets and lifestyles. Retailers do not lecture or legislate, preach or prosecute. We serve and lead by providing positive choices and, wherever we can, incentives to do the right thing,” he added
Retailers’ commitments and include:
• Cutting emissions from buildings and vehicles
• Cutting water use
• Reducing waste sent to landfill
• Offering energy-efficient products
• Reducing packaging
• Developing carbon footprinting of products
• Improving recycling for customers
Retailers who have signed up to the commitments:
Food
• Asda
• Marks & Spencer
• Sainsbury’s
• Somerfield
• Tesco
• The Co-operative
• Waitrose
Non-food
• Argos
• Boots
• Early Learning Centre
• Homebase
• John Lewis
• Mothercare
• Next
• The Body Shop
• Wickes
