28th June 2022
Sustainability fund will see 12% reduction in carbon over two years as part of Musgrave’s 2040 net zero carbon target
Musgrave NI has today announced a £2.7 million investment in its SuperValu and Centra stores across Northern Ireland as part of a new sustainability fund aimed at empowering retailers to achieve net zero carbon by 2040.
The fund, which is part of Musgrave’s island of Ireland sustainability strategy, will result in an estimated 12% carbon reduction by the company over a two-year period.
In Northern Ireland, this investment will be equal to planting more than 31,000 trees or powering 426 homes every year as it will remove over 840 tonnes of carbon.
Musgrave NI is committing £42,500 per SuperValu store and £21,250 per Centra store. Retailers can select suitable 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 (eSELs).
Musgrave’s new sustainability strategy aims to reduce its carbon emissions to reach net zero carbon by 2040, provide consumers with more sustainable shopping choices in-store and work with retailers to ensure their stores are sustainable.
Trevor Magill, Managing Director, Musgrave Northern Ireland said: “The climate crisis is the biggest threat to humanity, and we all have a responsibility to act now to protect the planet for generations to come. Musgrave is committed to leading when it comes to climate action, and this is something we’ve been really focused on in recent years. This £2.7 million sustainability fund is another step forward in supporting our retail partners to reduce their carbon emissions.
“Our SuperValu and Centra retailers are at the heart of local communities here, they’re invested in the future of those communities but also uniquely positioned to show leadership in sustainability at a local level. We look forward to working with those retailers on this fund and our other sustainability initiatives aimed at educating shoppers and encouraging our suppliers to play their part in creating a more sustainable future.”
As part of its strategy, Musgrave NI has committed to:
- Reducing or eliminating its own branding packaging where possible, and where packaging is necessary, 100% of it will be recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025. Currently over 90% of SuperValu and Centra own brand packaging in NI is recyclable, reusable or compostable.
- 100% of instore packaging to be recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025.
- By 2025 all stores will use LED lighting only.
In January, SuperValu and Centra pledged to plant 50,000 trees in Northern Ireland by 2032. They are doing so in partnership with Trees on the Land – a charity and not-for-profit project from the Green Economy Foundation. So far, 5,000 native trees have been planted in 13 locations across Northern Ireland already this year, and a further 5,000 are due to be planted in 2023.
Further details on Musgrave’s sustainability strategy can be found at: https://www.musgravegroup.com/sustainability
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About Musgrave NI:
Musgrave operates the SuperValu, Centra, Mace and Day-Today retail brands throughout Northern Ireland. Many of these stores are run in partnership with local independent retailers.
Musgrave is a hugely positive force in Northern Ireland both economically and socially, supporting the employment of over 4,750 people in 300 locations and contributing c.£350m to the local economy.
The first step in our sustainability plan is sourcing as much food and drink as we can locally, this uses less airmiles and therefore contributes to carbon reduction. Musgrave NI spends £160m on locally produced food and drink annually through 150 local suppliers and over 3,000 local farmers.
By 2025 SuperValu and Centra’s own brand packaging will be reusable, recyclable, or compostable while its bags are already made from 100 per cent recycled materials. Musgrave owned stores are powered by 100 per cent green electricity and the Group is on target to reduce its carbon emissions to Net Zero by 2040. All new and revamped stores are fitted with energy efficient LED lighting and top-grade energy efficient refrigeration, whilst our partnership with Fareshare will see SuperValu and Centra redistribute food to local charities.
Musgrave is a United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Champion, which recognises the ongoing commitment to operating as a sustainable business and the achievements made as part of our sustainability strategy.