Upmarket grocer Waitrose has today reiterated its commitment to reducing its environmental impact, as the chain has been recognised by a leading charity for its work on the issue.
A perfect score has been given to the retailer by The World Wildlife Fund in its 2011 Palm Oil Scorecard, which measures the performance of a number of major retailers to find whether they use palm oil responsibly and sustainably.
Waitrose Commercial Director Mark Williamson said: “The top score is in recognition of our industry-leading commitment to sourcing certified sustainable palm oil, ensuring we‘re not contributing to the destruction of orangutan habitats.”
The supermarket has committed to using only fully certified palm oil in all its products by December 2012, with 68 per cent currently adhering to this while it is the first UK retailer to use the RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) logo, currently on its brand of soap.
In a further example of the supermarket chain‘s move to reduce its environmental impact, a new store is to open this week with its lowest ever carbon emissions.
With 80 per cent less carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions, the Berkshire- based store will also feature a ‘green‘ grass-covered roof for wildlife.
From next year, all new Waitrose shops and major refurbishments will incorporate a biodiversity action plan.
This news comes as sales for the week to November 19th 2011 were up 7.4 per cent on the same period last year as shoppers have rushed to buy Delia‘s Christmas cake kit and Heston‘s mince pies, while sales of weather-blemished apples continue to grow.
