Morrisons is the UK's fourth largest supermarket chain with more than 360 stores across the country.
We selected Morrisons as, among the big four UK supermarkets, it was the only one not to have made a concerted effort to reduce its carbon emissions. While it has worked with the Carbon Trust and has some initiatives to reduce its emissions, there doesn't appear to be a systematic approach across the business.
Furthermore Morrisons' very limited reporting made it hard to tell exactly what it is doing and what it has achieved.
Christian Aid believes that all supermarkets should give figures for the emissions resulting from their stores and offices, their distribution networks, their supply chain, and the use and disposal of their products.
'We recognise that carbon dioxide emissions and their impact on the climate are the most significant environmental impact associated with our energy use.' Morrisons, corporate social responsibility report, 2005/6
What are its carbon emissions?
According to Morrisons own accounting, based on emissions from its stores, offices and 'all transport', 1,283,050 tonnes (published May 2007).
But Christian Aid estimates this figure rises to 4.96 million tonnes when you include its distribution and supply chain (estimated February 2007).
How we reached this estimate
According to our research, Morrisons is the most carbon intensive of Britain’s leading supermarkets.
Using average carbon intensities of others in the sector, we added to this an estimate for Morrisons’ fleet of vehicles and the company's supply chain.
These estimates suggest that, including an account of its supply chain but not of the emissions associated with customer travel or their consumption of its products, Morrisons emissions total 4.96 million tonnes.
What are its reduction targets?
Until March 2007 (see campaign update, below), it had none.
They have since published a reduction target of 36% by 2010 – but this doesn’t include all indirect emissions. It includes emissions from ‘all transport’ used directly by the company, but no separate figure is given for these.
Campaign update, July 2007
In March, campaigners distributed flyers outside Morrisons’ strategic review meeting in London. They were invited inside for a meeting, and this was followed by a formal meeting to discuss our campaign and their carbon footprint at Christian Aid’s offices in May.
Since the launch of Christian Aid’s campaign, Morrisons has published its carbon footprint and committed to cutting it by 36% by 2010. It also said it supported mandatory reporting in principle.
This is good progress. However, Morrisons’ carbon footprint still does not include emissions resulting from its full global supply chain. Their latest emissions figures include those from ‘all transport’, but no separate figure is given for these.
We are still waiting for a formal response from them in writing.
Act now
Ask Marc Bolland, Morrisons' chief executive, to publish a full account of Morrisons' global carbon footprint and commit to reducing its emissions by 5% a year. Email him now.