The National Consumer Council has published a consumer-focused environmental rating for British supermarkets. In it the council puts the top eight supermarkets to the test on four green indicators: seasonal food, organics, sustainable sourcing and cutting waste. Improvements have been seen in some areas, but all of the supermarkets are still falling short of expectations.
Waitrose came top of the “green” table, with Sainsbury’s being the highest ranking of the “big four”.
‘We all need to understand that food is the typical household’s number one contributor to climate change. By throwing away ten billion carrier bags each year and transporting carrots from Egypt and strawberries from New Zealand, we hit the environment hard. But shoppers are increasingly keen to do their bit. Now, we make it clear how supermarkets could make greener choices easier for everybody.’
NCC Chairman, Lord Whitty
The NCC is now calling for more recycled materials used in packaging and paper products, more UK seasonal fruit and vegetables to cut carbon emissions, encouraging shoppers to cut their use of plastic carrier bags and the availability of fish from sustainable sources.
Here are the essentials from the report entitled “Greening the supermarkets”. Ratings from A (excellent) to E (poor) were given, with the system inspired by energy efficiency ratings used for fridges and washing machines.
- Waitrose came top overall with a B rating; it did well for selling Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fish, with helpful, informed counter staff, and with a good range of organic foods. It had a good variety of in-season vegetables, but also sold the highest number of airfreighted fruit – with apricots, strawberries and blueberries from New Zealand.
- Of the big four supermarkets, Sainsbury’s received the best green rating with a C. It had the highest percentage of organic products in the range we looked at, and the widest range of MSC certified fish. It used recycled paper in packaging, toilet rolls and kitchen towels.
- Marks & Spencer shared a C rating with Sainsbury’s. Marks & Spencer sells only sustainably sourced fish, had good in-store information and knowledgeable staff. It could do more to promote in-season, British fruit and vegetables and cut the proportion of out-of-season fruits that are airfreighted.
- Tesco, Asda and the Co-op were all D rated.
- Although Tesco had UK-sourced in-season vegetables, it needs to do more signposting and promotion. Tesco needs to raise its game on sustainable sourcing – it had only one MSC product out of over 150 products surveyed. Tesco has taken steps to cut plastic bag use and promote recycling.
- Asda was top for sourcing and promoting UK in-season vegetables, but has room for improvement across the indicators.
- The Co-op shows potential with seasonal vegetables, the smallest amount of ‘long distance’ fruit and reducing the use of pesticides. It needs to improve its range of sustainably sourced fish and extend recycled packaging.
- Morrisons and Somerfield were both E rated. Morrisons was top for UK-sourced seasonal vegetables, but let itself down by failing to promote them. It rated poorly in all other areas. Somerfield did well on stocking in-season UK vegetables, using price promotions and displays to encourage shoppers, but was weak on recycling.