Consum has had its decarbonisation objectives validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), which it says is a first for a supermarket chain in Spain.
With this validation, the Spanish cooperative said that it will align its carbon footprint reduction strategy with the Paris Agreement, and will undertake to reduce its direct emissions by 42% by the end of the decade, using 2020 as a base year.
The retailer also will also continue its commitment to source 100% electricity from renewable sources while reducing the intensity of its indirect emissions.
About The SBTi
The SBTi is an independent body formed from a collaboration between the World Wide Foundation for Nature (WWF), the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the United Nations Global Compact and the Global Resources Institute (WRI).
Consum said it has worked to reduce its direct emissions by replacing the refrigerant gases in its equipment with less polluting ones.
Since 2014, CO₂ refrigeration solutions, using a natural, clean and environmentally friendly refrigerant, have been implemented in all supermarket openings and renovations, the retailer added.
Solar Energy
Elsewhere, the retailer estimates that 100% of the electricity it consumed in 2022 was of certified renewable origin.
The cooperative also has photovoltaic solar panels installed at 12 supermarkets, which enables it to generate solar energy for self-consumption.
Consum has reduced its carbon footprint by 86% since 2015, the year in which it began calculating its carbon footprint.
It also claims to be the first company in the Spanish food distribution sector to obtain the 'Reduce' seal from the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Challenge Demographic (MITERD).
