A group of leading retailers have backed the British Retail Consortium’s Climate Action Roadmap, which aims to bring the retail industry and its supply chains to net zero carbon emissions by 2040.
Sixty-three retailers – including Morrisons, Ikea, Ocado, Boots and Missguided – have committed resources to the plan, launched today, which has aims including for all stores and warehouses to be powered by net zero electricity by 2030.
This follows an announcement made earlier in the year where twenty major retailers signed a declaration to develop the Climate Action Roadmap to tackle the causes of climate change.
BRC says that with “vital support” from Government, the retail industry can decarbonise stores by 2030, deliveries by 2035 and products by 2040.
The Climate Action Roadmap sets out five areas of action:
- Putting decarbonisation at the core of all business decision making
- Reducing carbon emissions from shops and distribution centres
- Moving to net zero logistics operations
- Increasing sustainably sourced products
- Helping customers and employees to live low carbon lifestyles
According to BRC, the climate crisis remains “one of the greatest threats” to the planet.
“The UK has an opportunity to rebuild a fairer, more sustainable economy, in a post-pandemic era, which starts by cutting carbon emissions,” a BRC spokesperson said.
Some of the initiatives to be explored include algae-based carbon-absorbing clothes; shops and cafes powered by energy captured from customers’ footsteps; to drone delivery and products ‘printed’ at home by 3D printers.
BRC states that the opportunities to reduce carbon emissions in retail are “huge”. However, the trade group warned that for the UK to become a global leader in the transition to net zero, the retail industry and Government “must work in partnership”.
Helen Dickinson OBE, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium said: “The BRC Climate Action Roadmap is a clear and decisive statement that the retail industry is ready to take on this challenge – to be part of the solution. By 2040, we want every UK customer to be able to make purchases – in-store and online – safe in the knowledge that they are not contributing to global heating.
“Never before has an entire industry been so ambitious in tackling climate change. Retail is the critical gateway between vast international supply chains and every one of us as citizens.”
Chris Stark, chief executive of the Committee on Climate Change said:
“Through the BRC Climate Action Roadmap, retailers are setting a world-leading industry ambition to reach net zero emissions. It’s a fundamental goal, requiring bold leadership from government and from commerce – I highly commend each retailer who supports this initiative.”
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