The Portuguese Association of Distribution Companies (APED) has drawn up a road map for decarbonising the retail distribution sector by 2040.
The action plan, which includes contributions from consultancy firm PwC and the Business Advisory Group, consists of a series of voluntary measures to be implemented in the areas of sustainability and climate action by APED’s 195 members, which together represent 11% of Portugal’s GDP.
The intention is to motivate APED members to integrate green commitments into their business strategies, so that they may collectively contribute to reducing the sector’s carbon footprint.
Letters Of Principle
Seventeen (17) APED members have signed Letters of Principle, committing to the pledge, including retail heavyweights such as El Corte Inglés, Auchan, Fnac, Leroy Merlin, Pingo Doce and MC Sonae, which jointly account for 54% of all retail outlets in Portugal.
The road map includes 39 commitments, although APED is proposing a minimum package of ten commitments for SMEs and 17 for larger companies.
The voluntary commitments must be implemented within prescribed short- (2025), medium- (2030) and long-term (2040) time frames.
APED will provide signatories with a guide to technologies and good practices, a tool for the calculation and self-diagnosis of emissions, and an individual diagnostic tool to monitor and follow the implementation of the road map.
Measures Achieved To Date
On top of this new commitment, APED claims that its members have implemented measures that promote the decarbonisation of the economy over the past decade, leading to a 30% reduction in electricity consumption per square metre of sales area.
In addition, the sector has been investing in the production of renewable energy, the promotion of sustainable mobility solutions, and the adoption of circular models for products and services, focusing on eco-design and waste management practices.
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
