Mercadona, aware of the importance of caring for the planet and the crucial role of implementing more sustainable practices for society, is committed to tackling current environmental challenges.

The company has its own Environmental Management System that seeks to identify, prevent and reduce the impacts of its processes on the environment through strategies related to Logistics Optimisation, Energy Efficiency and Responsible Waste Management, Food Waste and Biodiversity.

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5 of Mercadona's strategies to care for the environment

Logistics optimisation:

Mercadona is a pioneer in logistics optimisation and transport decarbonisation.

• Transporting more with fewer resources: One of the measures to minimise the impact is "Transporting more with fewer resources". The aim is to optimise each trip, reducing the number of trips and minimising traffic congestion, among other goals. As Mercadona's green boxes for fruit and vegetables are collapsible, they help to eliminate 107,072 lorry trips per year, reducing CO₂.
• Sustainable transport: Mercadona is immersed in the search for more sustainable modes of transport with alternative fuels and strategies to improve the last mile.

One of the latest examples is the testing of 100% electric tractor units. Since 2015, Mercadona has been the first and leading company in the industry in Spain to test 100% electric tractor units, as well as to have a renewed fleet of trucks. This progress has enabled Mercadona to cut CO₂ emissions by more than 85,000 tonnes and achieve a 27% reduction in emissions for each pallet transported.

Other logistics optimisation measures at Mercadona:

• Less polluting transport: Mercadona uses gas-powered trucks, EURO 6 or higher fleet, ECO vans and rail transport. In addition, twin-trailer and mega-trailer lorries have been included, enabling more goods to be transported with less travel.
• Improved refrigeration equipment in lorries and vans through the implementation of more efficient natural refrigerants. 
• Adherence to initiatives such as Lean & Green, aimed at continuous improvement in logistics efficiency.

These actions by Mercadona are in line with the neutral emissions commitments of the European Green Pact, marking a milestone in the process of decarbonising transport towards 2050.

Energy efficiency:

Since 2016, Mercadona has implemented an efficient shop model that promotes lower energy consumption and includes measures such as:

• Use of efficient lighting systems and solar panels on roofs
• State-of-the-art equipment and machinery, such as closed freezers.

Waste management:

Mercadona strives to reduce its raw material consumption and waste generation. All this is achieved through strategies that promote reuse and recycling. These strategies focus on:

• Waste reduction: Reusable netting for fruit and vegetables, reducing plastic consumption, and reusable shopping bags made from 70% recycled plastic obtained by recycling the plastic film generated in Stores and Warehouses.
• Waste recovery: seeking ways to recycle and give a second life to the waste generated in daily activities. Waste recovery contributes to reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, thus reducing the environmental impact.

These are some of Mercadona's waste recovery strategies:

• Recycling of plastic film, which is reincorporated as recycled plastic in reusable shopping bags, with 70% recycled plastic.
• Recovery of cardboard packaging to manufacture new packaging, such as the grouping box for milk cartons.
• Transformation of meat and fish by-products (ABPs) into raw material for animal feed.
• Separation of organic waste in more than 450 stores, which is used to make compost for crops or produce biogas that is used as fuel for urban transport and/or waste collection lorries.
• Use of frying oil from Ready-to-Eat shops to make biodiesel, i.e. biofuel for vehicles.

Food waste:

Mercadona's store managers adapt fresh product orders based on the sales forecast, which is calculated using an IT tool developed by Mercadona. It takes historical sales data and multiple factors as a reference.

In addition, if a product is not sold and is fit for consumption, it is donated to one of over 750 social organisations with which the company collaborates. If food products are not suitable for donation, they are transferred to authorised waste managers.

Biodiversity:

Mercadona is committed to biodiversity in its environmental management strategy. For this reason:

• It creates green roofs and vertical gardens in various supermarkets, offering environmental benefits for urban sustainability.
• It evaluates its facilities periodically to minimise impacts on areas of high biodiversity.

Other examples of Mercadona's environmental management

These are 5 of Mercadona's environmental management strategies. However, the company is also working on other sustainable strategies such as the installation of charging points for electric vehicles. Accordingly, the company is expanding its semi-fast charging network with the goal of improving the service from 3.7 to 22 kW. To do so, it plans to invest €21 million to install approximately 5,000 semi-fast charging stations, making the Mercadona charging network one of the largest private networks in Spain and in the south of Europe.

A responsible company model

Caring for the environment plays a key role in meeting the Global Compact's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The company has been a signatory to this initiative since 2011 and works constantly to promote more sustainable practices and respond to the SDGs most impacted by its business.

Mercadona complies with the Sustainable Development Goals through its Environmental Management System.