The UK’s number one retailer Tesco has pledged to spend GBP500m (US$987.18m) over the next five years on an environmental plan that looks to cut its carbon footprint and encourage consumers to become more environmentally aware in their purchasing decisions.
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Addressing an event organised by sustainable development charity Forum for the Future yesterday (18 January) evening, Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy said the retailer aimed to promote “a revolution in green consumption” by bringing environmentally friendly goods to the mass market.
Leahy said that Tesco hoped to change the way consumers shop and lead the way in developing a low-carbon economy by developing labels with a carbon counter – allowing consumers to count carbon costs in the same way as calories. The retailer will make environmentally friendly products more affordable by offering more energy efficient products in its Value range. Tesco also pledged to encourage green consumption by rewarding shoppers who buy organic, fairtrade and biodegradable items with “green” loyalty card points. “We will bring down the cost of going green,” Leahy said, starting by halving the price of energy-efficient light bulbs.
Tesco said it will donate GBP5m a year to help fund academic research into greener consumption.
The company said that it will cut emissions produced by stores and distribution centres by 50% by 2020 and reduce produce transported by airfreight from about 2-3% to 1%, Leahy said in his speech, called ‘Green grocer? Tesco, carbon and the consumer’.
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By GlobalDataTesco’s green initiative expends beyond the UK. The reduction of emissions from existing stores and distribution centres is to include its 2,700 outlets in 11 national markets. All new stores opened between now and 2020 will emit 50% less carbon than an equivalent store today, Tesco said.
However, the initiative stops short of the GBP200m promise by Marks & Spencer earlier this week to become carbon neutral by 2012. “I felt it inappropriate in an industry that is clearly carbon emitting to speak about carbon neutrality,” Leahy said.
