Midcounties Co-op has cut its energy usage by 11% over the past year, saving the business £1.65m in electricity bills.
It has been achieved through an £8.6m investment towards sustainability projects since 2022, such as introducing energy-efficient refrigeration in 50 food stores and LED lighting in 139 more.
These measures have helped to prevent over 1,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere, the society added.
The energy reduction puts Midcounties Co-op, which has 230 food stores overall, a step closer to delivering on its commitment to cut direct greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2026, which was verified by the Science Based Targets initiative in January.
It will be investing a further £800,000 in energy-efficiency projects over the next year as it continues to progress towards its target.
“Reducing our energy usage is a core element of our member-led sustainability strategy and the achievements we’ve made to date are a testament to the work of our fantastic colleagues across our Society,” said Midcounties Co-op head of sustainability Mike Pickering.
“But we don’t want to stop there. We’ll continue to invest in achieving our overarching sustainability targets, find new ways for our members and customers to make sustainable choices and ensuring our sites and stores operate as efficiently as possible.”
Midcounties Co-op, which operates across the West Midlands, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, said it was also working with other Co-op societies to share best practices and reduce GHG emissions further.
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