Green Grocers How Supermarkets Can Help Make Greener Shopping Easier
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green grocers how supermarkets can help make greener shopping easier Äó=iìÅó=v~íÉë bñÉÅìíáîÉ=ëìãã~êó N ^ÅâåçïäÉÇÖÉãÉåíë tÜ~í=ïÉ=ÇáÇ P qÜÉ=k``Ûë=dêÉÉåáåÖ=pìéÉêã~êâÉíë=éêçàÉÅí qÜÉ=k``Ûë=dêÉÉåáåÖ=pìéÉêã~êâÉíë=`Ü~ääÉåÖÉ Q áë=äÉÇ=Äó=iìÅó=v~íÉë=EäKó~íÉë]åÅÅKçêÖKìâFK qÜÉ=êÉéçêí=Å~êÇë R qÜÉ=k``=ÅçããáëëáçåÉÇ=pìëí~áåI=íÜÉ ~ääá~åÅÉ=Ñçê=ÄÉííÉê=ÑççÇ=~åÇ=Ñ~êãáåÖI=íç qÜÉ=êÉëìäíë NM ÅçåÇìÅí=áåJëíçêÉI=ÜÉäéäáåÉ=~åÇ=ïÉÄëáíÉ NK=`äáã~íÉ=ÅÜ~åÖÉ NN êÉëÉ~êÅÜK=qÜáë=ïçêâ=ï~ë=äÉÇ=Äó=h~íÜ a~äãÉåó=ïáíÜ=dÉãã~=_êó~åI=m~ìä=`äÉÖÖI OK=t~ëíÉW=~Åíáçå=íç=êÉÇìÅÉI=êÉJìëÉ=~åÇ=êÉÅóÅäÉ NS fÇ~=c~ÄêáòáçI=q~ã~êáåÇ=c~äâI=e~åå~Ü=iÉïáëI PK=pìëí~áå~ÄäÉ=ÑáëÜ OM eÉäÉå=p~åÇïÉääI=gçÉ=pÜçêíI=g~ëéÉê=t~ää~ÅÉI wçØ=t~åÖäÉê=~åÇ=e~åå~Ü=táääá~ãëK= QK=pìëí~áå~ÄäÉ=Ñ~êãáåÖ OQ qÜÉ=k``=ïçìäÇ=äáâÉ=íç=íÜ~åâ=wçØ=t~åÖäÉê qÜÉ=ï~ó=Ñçêï~êÇ OT Ñçê=ÜÉê=ÉñéÉêí=ÜÉäé=ïáíÜ=áãéçêí=Ç~í~=~åÇ Å~êÄçå=~å~äóëáëK oÉÑÉêÉåÅÉë=~åÇ=åçíÉë OU qÜÉ=k``=íÜ~åâë=íÜÉ=ÑçääçïáåÖ=éÉçéäÉ=Ñçê ÅçåíêáÄìíáåÖ=íÜÉáê=íáãÉ=~åÇ=éÉêëéÉÅíáîÉë=íç ÇÉîÉäçéáåÖ=~åÇ=êÉîáÉïáåÖ=íÜÉ=êÉëÉ~êÅÜW pìÉ=aáÄÄI=h~íÜ=a~äãÉåóI=`~í=açêÉóI=q~ê~ d~êåÉííI=sáÅâá=eáêÇI=gáää=gçÜåëíçåÉI=_Éêå~êÇ kóã~åI=açìÖä~ë=m~ííáÉI=m~ìä=píÉÉÇã~åI p~ääó=rêÉåI=~åÇ=çíÜÉêëI=áåÅäìÇáåÖ ÅçääÉ~ÖìÉë=~í=íÜÉ=k``K tÉ=~äëç=íÜ~åâ=íÜÉ=êÉí~áäÉêë=Ñçê=éêçîáÇáåÖ ÇÉí~áäë=çÑ=íÜÉáê=Åçãé~åó=éçäáÅáÉëK= qÜÉ=ÅçåíÉåí=çÑ=íÜÉ=êÉéçêí=~åÇ=íÜÉ=îáÉïë ÉñéêÉëëÉÇ=ïáíÜáå=áí=~êÉ=íÜçëÉ=çÑ=íÜÉ=k``K aÉëáÖåÉÇ=Äó=dêÉÖ=píÉîÉåëçå mÜçíçÖê~éÜëW=é~ÖÉë=RI=OP=~åÇ=ÅçîÉê=Ó dêÉÖ=píÉîÉåëçåX= ~ää=çíÜÉêë=í~âÉå=Äó=êÉëÉ~êÅÜÉêë=ÇìêáåÖ=íÜÉ=ëìêîÉóK Executive summary Supermarkets – where most of us choices.This research shows that year two supermarkets had scored an for 31 per cent of the average buy our food – have an important there are further simple things that ‘E’ rating (Morrisons and European household’s impact on role in helping us do our bit for the supermarkets could do to make Somerfield).We also now have three climate change2.This, coupled with environment. Since our last Greening greener choices easier for supermarkets achieving a ‘B’ (M&S, the fact that, according to the supermarkets report in 20061, we have consumers. Sainsbury’s and Waitrose), rather than research organisation IGD, in 2006, seen environmental issues rise higher just one last year (Waitrose). 72 per cent of grocery sales took Our supermarket survey was on the agenda, with announcements place in supermarkets3, means that conducted in April 2007.This year, This year, the availability and from a number of big retailers.These retailers have huge potential to help we continue to rate the top eight promotion of sustainable fish announcements have covered a their customers make greener food retailers in the UK on a range has improved across all the variety of issues, from reductions in choices. of consumer-focused environmental supermarkets.We were disappointed unnecessary packaging to new indicators, covering climate change to see some supermarkets slip in ‘green’ labelling schemes for (seasonal food and light bulbs), waste their ratings for stocking and products, such as carbon labelling Aim higher and recycling, sustainable fish and promoting in-season vegetables and and aeroplane stickers on sustainable farming.The report organic fresh produce.As in 2006, We want to see more supermarkets airfreighted goods. keeps many of the same indicators as no retailer did well across every setting challenging targets on green Supermarkets now face the last year, but with a few small indicator, and each has particular issues.There are some good challenge of turning their plans for changes (see panel, page 2). areas that it could focus on to examples of this, such as the M&S greener practices into reality.The improve its performance. ‘Plan A’. Launched in January 2007 NCC welcomes their commitments along with the company’s 2007 We recognise that supermarkets are and supermarkets’ enhanced focus Better scores annual report, Plan A is a five-year doing good things behind the on green issues. However, some plan that holds M&S to account on We found that there have been scenes, such as cutting the waste supermarkets are doing more than 100 green targets4.We want to see improvements since last year across they send to landfill and converting others in this area and it is yet to be other supermarkets following this the ratings. In particular, we are their store electricity supplies to seen if any retailers have gone far example, providing clarity and pleased to see that this year all the green energy. However, the largest enough to encourage and enable ambition in their targets and supermarkets achieved an overall review of the evidence yet shows consumers to change their reporting annually to improve rating of ‘D’ and above whereas last that the food we eat is responsible behaviour and make greener their ratings for all our indicators. 1 lîÉê~ää=ê~íáåÖëI=OMMT qÜÉ=k``Ûë=dêÉÉåáåÖ=pìéÉêã~êâÉíë=áåÇáÅ~íçêë NK `äáã~íÉ=ÅÜ~åÖÉW=êÉÇìÅáåÖ=`lO Éãáëëáçåë j~êâë=C=péÉåÅÉê b Ä Seasonal food: availability, promotion and signposting of ten in-season p~áåëÄìêóÛë b Ä UK-sourced vegetables. t~áíêçëÉ b Ä ^ëÇ~ b Å Seasonality information: ability of supermarket helplines and websites to b provide information on seasonal produce. qÉëÅç Å b `çJçé Ç Energy-saving light bulbs: the provision and promotion of energy-efficient light bulbs; and the cost of, and price differential between, these and less efficient jçêêáëçåë É= bÇ equivalents. pçãÉêÑáÉäÇ É= Ç OK t~ëíÉW=~Åíáçå=íç=êÉÇìÅÉI=êÉJìëÉ=~åÇ=êÉÅóÅäÉ lîÉê~ää=ê~íáåÖëI=OMMS Recycled content, and content certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): proportion and promotion of recycled and FSC-certified content in breakfast cereal packaging, toilet paper, kitchen towels. t~áíêçëÉ b Ä Carrier bags: incentives to reduce use – or encourage re-use – of carrier bags, including offers of ‘bags for life’. j~êâë=C=péÉåÅÉê bÅ p~áåëÄìêóÛë b Å b b ^ëÇ~ Ç PK pìëí~áå~ÄäÉ=ÑáëÜW=ëìééçêíáåÖ=ëìëí~áå~ÄäÉ=ëçìêÅáåÖ b `çJçé Ç Availability and promotion of sustainably sourced fish, including those with qÉëÅç Ç Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification5; information, including fish jçêêáëçåë É= species, for standard own-brand fish fingers. pçãÉêÑáÉäÇ É= Ability of in-store staff and customer helpline to provide information on fish sustainability. tÉ=ê~íÉÇ=ëìéÉêã~êâÉíë=ìëáåÖ=~å=^Jb=ê~íáåÖ=ëóëíÉã= QK pìëí~áå~ÄäÉ=Ñ~êãáåÖ EáåëéáêÉÇ=Äó=ÉåÉêÖó=ÉÑÑáÅáÉåÅó=ê~íáåÖë=ìëÉÇ=Ñçê=ÑêáÇÖÉë=~åÇ=ÇáëÜï~ëÜÉêëFK Organics: provision and promotion of organic options in ten food products. ^=Z=ÉñÅÉääÉåí _=Z=ÖççÇ Pesticides: the promotion of produce from certified farming methods that use `=Z=ëÜçïáåÖ=éçíÉåíá~ä fewer chemicals and promote biodiversity, such as products certified by the a=Z=êççã=Ñçê=áãéêçîÉãÉåí organisation Linking Environment And Farming (LEAF)6; and the communication b=Z=éççê of pesticide reduction policies. 2 What we did Our survey was designed to We chose larger stores that could There are some minor modifications As in 2006, we also collected the reflect the experience of ordinary reasonably be expected to provide to last year’s report, as follows: following further information to consumers. Its findings are based a wide range of products and provide additional qualitative • To the climate change indicator, on what we found in store and promotions to reflect the shopping commentary. However, this data was we added the provision and during telephone helpline and experience of consumers in our not included in the ratings: promotion of energy-efficient light website surveys conducted in April two areas. bulbs; and the cost of, and price • Using aggregate UK fruit import 2007.The overall company ratings In addition, we wrote to companies differential between, these and less data from HM Revenue and give equal weight to each of the asking for details of their relevant efficient equivalents. Customs, we compared four areas. policies (details of which are supermarkets on the full range • For the waste indicator, we added We included the top eight food available at www.ncc.org.uk/nccpdf/ of fruit they stock and promote, a section on trees, looking at retailers in our survey:Asda, Co-op, misc/green_grocers_appendix.pdf). assessing how far the fruit has recycled and FSC-certified content Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, We present our findings in the travelled and how likely it is in cardboard packaging and paper Sainsbury’s, Somerfield,Tesco and context of what companies told us, that this fruit will have been products.We also renamed our Waitrose. For each company, we but our ratings are based entirely on airfreighted.This information previous ‘nature’ indicator surveyed two stores; our findings are what was found in store to ensure gives a useful snapshot of each ‘sustainable fish’. based on an average of these.We that our conclusions continue to supermarket’s relative reliance on selected one store in the North-east reflect the everyday shopping • To the sustainable fish indicator we carbon-intensive produce, as well of England centred on Newcastle, experience of consumers. added a new aspect looking at the as giving information on how and one in the Southeast, focusing fish species used in standard own- much produce comes from less on stores close to urban centres, in a brand fish fingers and any wealthy countries. broad cluster touching the counties information provided about the • Researchers recorded whether of Surrey, Berkshire and Hampshire.