Go greener, NCC tells grocers

According to a National Consumer Council (NCC) report entitled Green Grocers?, UK supermarkets still need to do more to help customers reduce their environmental impact, despite welcome efforts to go ‘greener’.

In a survey of eight major retailers, M&S, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s were given B grades for their efforts whereas Tesco and Asda were awarded C grades. Morrisons, Somerfield and the Co-op received D grades.

These chains have to do more to cut plastic bag use and recycle packaging, said the NCC, also urging them to increase the amount of organic and locally sourced food on their shelves.

NCC chair Lord Whitty explained that ‘The research has spotted important signs of progress right across the market, with all stores now beginning to embrace sustainability, but much remains to be done if supermarkets are to become truly green grocers.’

Sir Terry Leahy’s Tesco, offering the cheapest energy-efficient light bulbs at the time of the survey, is showing ‘potential’ since, along with Somerfield, it has led the way in offering customers incentives to bring back used carrier bags. In contrast, the Co-op and M&S were the only supermarkets not to have plastic bag recycling points in stores. Retailers must do more to cut plastic bag use, said the NCC, for example by removing bags altogether from checkouts.

Sainsbury’s and M&S were said to have done the most to use recycled and Forest Stewardship Council-certified content in packaging. However, overall, the NCC was ‘disappointed’ by progress in this area, with most stores offering ‘very little choice’ of organic produce and some actually slipping in their ratings for stocking and promoting in-season vegetables and fresh organic produce.