Reducing our emissions by 60% by 2030

We are aware that our activities as a retailer contribute to climate change through emissions of greenhouse gasses and consumption of natural resources. We therefore strive to reduce the emissions from our own operations by 60% by 2030. Energy use in our stores, distribution centres and outbound logistics (like transport of products from distribution centres to stores) emit greenhouse gases. These direct emissions (Scope 1) and indirect emissions from purchased electricity (Scope 2) are at the heart of our energy and emission reduction strategy. Our ambition is to reduce our Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 60% by 2030 (versus the 2021 baseline).

In 2022, we lowered our energy use, increased our share of renewable energy and introduced HVO biodiesel for our self-owned trucks. As a result, our scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions were reduced by 40%.

Our stores

Currently, 95% of our stores have LED-lights (2,206 stores) and the other 5% will have LED lights at the start of 2023. Moreover, more than 1,700 stores are now connected with smart meters to our energy portal, which will help us to analyse our consumption data and to optimise our usage in 2023.

Over 1,900 stores are now disconnected from gas (85% of our store base). Our target is to have all stores disconnected from gas by the end of 2024. We are well on our way to achieving that goal.

We use 90% green renewable energy for our stores, DCs and offices. We have reduced our scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions by 40%, and we purchased renewable energy as much as possible. 90% of our electricity consumption was renewable and our targeted energy efficiency programme helped us to reduce energy consumption per store by 10%. We aim to increase the use of green electricity to 95% for the total of our stores, DCs, and offices, and to reduce energy consumption in stores by at least another 5% per m2. All this will contribute to our target to reduce energy consumption in our stores by 15% per m2 by 2024 versus the 2021 baseline.

Waste stream stores

Our distribution centres

We installed solar panels on the roofs of our DCs in Bieruń (PL, 500 kW) and Verrières-en-Anjou (FR, 4.2 MW) in addition to the solar panels at our DC in Zwaagdijk (NL). The solar panels on the roofs of our DCs generated 55% of the total electricity usage of all our DCs.
In 2023 we will install solar panels on the roofs of our DCs in Ensues-la-Redonne in France, Zakroczym in Poland, and Novara in Italy.

Our distribution centres are build based on the latest technological construction requirements for ecological and environmentally friendly operations, in alignment with BREEAM standards, an international rating system for sustainable building constructions. Our newly opened DC in Ensues-la-Redonne (France) achieved the BREEAM Excellent status.

We run our distribution centres in an energy efficient manner: in and around the distribution centres, we use electric transport to limit CO2 emissions and reduce noise and exhaust levels on site. Our distribution centres are fitted with LED lights and light sensors, reducing energy consumption. To identify further energy saving potential, we regularly conduct energy audits and update functional specifications to include these audit findings.

Product transportation

Our innovative double-decker trucks can carry 60% more freight than conventional trucks.

We have reduced our transportation emissions from our own trucks by 13% by introducing HVO biodiesel instead of regular diesel to fuel ten of our trucks at the DC in Zwaagdijk (NL). In the past few years, we saw an increase in our energy consumption and emissions of transport due to our rapid growth. Biofuels, such as HVO, are an important interim solution to significantly reduce CO2 emissions in the short term. The CO2 reduction is substantial (up to 90%) and implementation on a short term and large scale is feasible. That makes this pilot especially valuable and we are happy with the results. In 2023, we will implement a full roll-out to all our 150 self-owned trucks in the DCs in Zwaagdijk and Echt (NL).

In the longer term, Action will phase HVO out by introducing electric or hydrogen trucks. We initiated pilots in 2023 with electric trucks in our DCs: two trucks in Echt (NL), and two in Biblis (GE). The purpose is to gain experience, and learn how we should implement the further roll-out of electric transport.

Managing our waste streams

Cardboard and plastic are collected in the stores and distribution centres and recycled. At our distribution centres, we compress the volume of cardboard and plastic before it is passed on to recycling facilities. By reducing the volume, we can transport these materials more efficiently, which helps minimise CO2 emissions. The compressed bales also comply with the recycling facilities’ standard way of working, so no extra handling is required.
We prevent plastic use by only stretch wrapping the upper part of the roll containers, saving an estimated 30% in plastics compared to fully wrapping each container. We also process damaged and returned products, primarily to avoid these products becoming waste. Other waste streams are separated so they can be recycled or processed separately. We also reuse and recycle our store materials and provide our customers with an organised way to dispose of batteries, light bulbs and small electrical appliances.

Throughout the year, when stores are refurbished, enlarged or relocated, we also demount, collect, sort and store racking for reuse or recycling. Store checkouts are refit, restyled to comply with current format standards and reused after a store refurbishment. In 2022, we refurbished 24 stores with materials previously used in other stores.