19 July 2023
By Elaine Murphy
Elaine@TheCork.ie
News, this month, from the Cork HQ’ed SuperValu franchise brand
SuperValu and Centra retailers have achieved a 9% carbon reduction, a year on from the launch of the €25m Musgrave Sustainability Fund. SuperValu and Centra set out to achieve a 12% carbon reduction by end of 2023.
In June last year, Musgrave announced the first of its kind €25 million sustainability fund aimed at realising this target and reducing emissions across its operations, ultimately to achieve net zero by 2040. In order to reduce emissions to net zero by 2040, Musgrave is aiming to achieve a 46% reduction in carbon emissions (Scope 1 and 2) by 2030.
So far, the carbon reduction achieved across SuperValu and Centra stores is equivalent to planting over 260,000 trees. By the end of 2023, over 26,500 panels will be installed across 63 SuperValu and 36 Centra stores generating the equivalent amount of electricity to power almost 3,500 homes entirely for a year. More than 90 SuperValu stores will have solar panels by the end of 2025.
€27.7m has been invested to date, made up of the fund combined with SuperValu and Centra retailer investment. It is expected the total SuperValu and Centra retailer investment across the whole of Ireland to be approximately €50 million once the fund is complete.
Ian Allen, Managing Director of SuperValu and Centra: “Our stores are at the heart of communities around Ireland, and we are proud that our network of SuperValu and Centra retailers we are on track to reach our carbon reduction goal by the end of this year. Our retailers have shown real passion and enthusiasm to continue to lead by example and implement sustainability measures across their leading supermarket and convenience stores. Over the month of June some retailers saw 30% or more of the electricity they used come from solar panels they installed on their roofs, this is sustainability in action. We are on track and are seeing constant efficiencies and improvements being made across our retail network. Consumers want us to do more, and we are focused on doing this and working with our retail partners to make every community a sustainable community. We want to make a real-lasting legacy for generations to come.”
Cormac Quish of Quish’s SuperValu Tramore said: At SuperValu Tramore, we are acutely aware of the responsibility that rests with all of us in relation to climate action, both individually and collectively. The changes we have made in store as a result of our store revamp and the sustainability fund investment have allowed us to achieve a 59% carbon reduction and 40% reduction in electricity. For example, we have installed 348 solar panels, removed oil ovens and replaced with electric and introduced new refrigeration with all doors running on environmentally friendly gas. We look forward to building on these actions and making every day real sustainable action accessible for our loyal customers. As a community hub, we are committed to reaching Net Zero by 2040 and we will continue to enhance sustainability measures across our store to play our part.”
The current 9% reduction in carbon emissions puts us in good stead to achieve a 46% reduction by 2030. SuperValu and Centra’s role as Irish Government UN Sustainable Goals Champions (2023-2024) means we are committed to making every community a sustainable one and as a business that feeds one in three people every day, we are passionate about continuing this journey and stepping up to the plate to support our customers and suppliers.
In the Republic of Ireland, Musgrave committed €50,000 per SuperValu store and €25,000 per Centra store. Stores across Ireland have implemented select sustainability initiatives based on each store’s needs and set-up, including upgrading freezers and refrigeration units, LED lighting retrofit, solar panels, and electronic shelf edge labels (eSEL).
Further details on Musgrave’s sustainability strategy can be found at: https://www.musgravegroup.com/sustainability/.
