MERCADONA ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY 2010

MERCADONA ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY 2010
C/ Valencia, 5
46016 Tavernes Blanques (Valencia)
T. +34 963 883 333
F. +34 963 883 302
www.mercadona.es
Although we have made
substantial progress with our
environmental management
systems, we are aware there are
many aspects still to improve
and are continuing to work with
this goal in mind
INDEX
0. Introduction........................................ 2
1. Sustainable transport........................... 4
2. Energy savings................................... 12
3. Commercial packaging management.... 22
4. Waste management............................ 30
5. “Eco-designed” products.................... 34
6. Retail Forum..................................... 43
7. Relevant data 2010........................... 44
Environmental Policy
1
0. INTRODUCTION
Mercadona is a Spanish family-owned supermarket
company whose objective is to fully satisfy the grocery,
home cleaning and hygiene product needs of its “Bosses”,
which is how the company refers to its customers.
Mercadona’s management model has been based on Total
Quality. Through this method, Mercadona satisfies the
company’s five components in equal measure: “The Boss,”
The Employee, The Supplier, Society and The Capital.
Following this model and accomplishing its commitment to
Society, Mercadona is working to improve the environmental
consequences of its activity by continuously looking for
ways to improve its processes.
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Environmental Policy
MERCADONA TODAY
(data to December 2010)
P Family-owned company. Capital 100% Spanish.
P 1,310 local stores.
P 9 logistics blocks and two planned/under construction.
P 4.4 million households.
P 8,532 million “Kiliters” (sales units).
P 16,485 million Euros sold.
P 63,500 employees, 67% women. All of them with
permanent contracts.
P More than 100 integrated suppliers and more than
2,000 suppliers.
The environmental study carried out on the company revealed
that the most significant impact on the environment from
our activity is due to:
1. Transport.
2. Energy consumption.
3. Packaging production and waste.
Our main efforts to minimize the environmental impact of
our activity are concentrated in these areas.
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3
1. SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT
1.1 DOCKING BAY PURCHASING
1.2 INTERMODAL TRANSPORT
1.3 URBAN TRANPORT
Sustainable logistics is a project developed by the Logistics Department. Its aim is to
“transport more with fewer resources.”
Although the fleet is not owned by Mercadona, the company manages all logistics
directly. We also endeavor, along with Acotral, our logistics integrated supplier, to
constantly update the fleet. In 2010, 36% of vehicles had the Euro certificate 5 and
the remaining 64% had the Euro 4.
In 2010, by combining the use of trucks, trains and ships, along with the strategy
of “docking bay purchasing” we have reduced the company’s logistics impact on
the environment. In addition, Mercadona constantly searches for new ways of
contributing to reduce congestion in cities and roads, by applying different strategies
that help to reduce the impact of transportation.
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Environmental Policy
1.1 DOCKING BAY PURCHASING
Goods are collected by truck directly from the supplier’s factory, avoiding empty trips and reducing the number of vehicles
(trucks and vans) going to the stores.
The Estrategia del Ocho:
Allows us to optimize truck management, avoiding
empty journeys.
We apply the so called Estrategia del Ocho:
- Collect goods directly from the supplier’s factory and take
them to storage.
- Deliver goods to the stores.
- Pick up the packaging from the store to recycle as well as
the reusable boxes and pallets.
- Transport all packaging, boxes and pallets to the logistics blocks, the supplier’s factories and/or to the recycling
plants.
- And re-start the process.
All goods pass through Mercadona’s logistics centers, avoiding
unnecessary trips from suppliers to the stores.
Another complementary strategy is the logistics plan, which
consists of building our logistics blocks in accordance with the
expansion plan and to bring the supplier’s facilities closer to
the logistics blocks.
As a result, in the last few years, the average distance between
storage areas and stores has been reduced by 50 kilometers.
Annual savings achieved:
- 15 million fewer kilometers by empty trucks.
- 70,000 trucks removed from the roads.
- 83,500 tons of CO2 prevented.
Environmental Policy
5
571 trains per year and 5 different
train routes:
So far we have established 5 different transport routes
joining the following cities:
Tarragona, Sevilla, Córdoba, Valencia y Madrid.
17,000
fewer tons of CO2 emissions in the atmosphere
1.2 INTERMODAL TRANSPORT
In order to optimize procedures and reduce the impact of
transport on the environment, we are working to increase the
volume of goods transported by train and by ship.
For example, train journeys allow us to transport hygiene and
cleaning products from the integrated supplier’s facility in Sevilla to other logistics blocks and return with canned goods and
cellulose from Tarragona or Castilla and León.
GOODS
We are also able to bring goods from Rotterdam and Italy, via
Bilbao, Tarragona and Cádiz by ship.
Thanks to these measures, in 2010 we achieved:
- 285,000 tons of goods transported by 571 trains (5% more than in 2009).
- 585,000 tons transported by ship.
- 42,300 tucks removed from the roads.
- 11.5 million fewer kilometers driven by road.
- 47,000 fewer tons of CO2 in the atmosphere.
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Environmental Policy
571
trains per year
Environmental Policy
7
1.3 URBAN TRANSPORT
Another strategy we have developed to improve mobility within
the town center is Silent Nighttime Unloading. This is part of
the TUM (urban transport of goods), and consists of entering
the town center with the biggest trucks permitted when there is
the least traffic, to avoid disturbing the neighbors.
The challenge is to unload the goods in the quickest and quietest way possible. In 2002, Mercadona, along with AECOC and
Barcelona’s Town Hall, started to introduce the Silent Nighttime Unloading as a strategy to reduce truck circulation in the
daytime.
With Silent Nighttime Unloading, the
number of necessary trips has been
reduced, and they are scheduled when
there is least traffic to avoid disturbing
the neighbors
It’s worth mentioning that Mercadona was awarded the Pacto
por la Movilidad en Barcelona prize in 2003, by the Town Hall
and the Mayor Joan Clos for its Silent Nighttime Unloading
project.
By the end of 2010 Silent Nighttime Unloading was implemented in 407 stores (31% of the total), located in 35 different
provinces.
Advantages of urban transport of goods:
- 1.8 times fewer emissions.
- The urban transport vehicles spend 4 times less time in the city, reducing
traffic congestion.
- Lower fuel consumption per ton transported.
- Reduction of noise pollution.
- Reduction of two thirds of the number of trucks on the road.
- 70,000 fewer tons of CO2 in 2010.
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Environmental Policy
407
stores with Silent
Nighttime Unloading
70,000
fewer tons of CO2
Environmental Policy
9
Mercadona and Acotral, an integrated supplier, have incorporated the first truck operated by natural gas (GPN) to the urban
distribution.
The advantages of using this fuel are:
a) 30% reduction of CO2 emissions compared to traditional
trucks.
b) 80% reduction of greenhouse gasses.
c) 0 particle emission.
d) 50% reduction in engine noise.
e) Reduction of maintenance, and so generates fewer poisonous residues.
All of these points contribute to improving the air quality in
urban centers.
At the moment this type of truck is used for stores in Madrid’s
downtown.
Silent Nighttime Unloading:
407
CO2
stores using Silent Nighttime Unloading
(6% more than in 2009)
Gas fuel trucks:
Reduction of
30%
50%
of CO2 emissions and
10 Environmental Policy
of noise
70,000
fewer tons of CO2 emissions
Because of these
sustainable transport
initiatives in 2010
we have:
Respected the environment
Taken out of circulation
217,500
112,000
fewer tons of CO2
vehicles per year
Avoided
26 milion
kilometers
Demonstrated that
sustainable
transport
is profitable
Environmental Policy 11
2. ENERGY SAVINGS
2.1 MEASURES FOR REDUCING CLIMATE CONTROL ENERGY DEMAND
2.2 MEASURES FOR REDUCING ENERGY CONSUMPTION
2.3 MEASURES FOR REDUCING LIGHTING CONSUMPTION
2.4 EFFECTIVE WAYS OF SAVING ENERGY
2.5 PRACTICES TO SAVE ENERGY IN WAREHOUSES
Even though Mercadona’s activity is not industrial, the main environmental impact and a
relatively important cost, is related to energy consumption, and the indirect emissions, mainly
greenhouse gasses caused by this consumption. This is what has motivated the company to
develop and implement mechanisms and methods of saving energy and to apply them in the
whole company whenever they are technically and financially viable.
The objective is the simultaneous reduction of the environmental impact and the economic
costs of the activity in the stores and logistics blocks.
12 Environmental Policy
Mercadona’s energy consumption can be divided the following way:
WAREHOUSE 11%
OFFICES 1%
STORES 88%
Breakdown of consumption in a standard store:
OVEN 4%
LIGHTING 25%
REFRIGERATION 50%
AIR CONDITIONING 16%
SOCKETS 5%
In 2007 Mercadona developed the “Eco-friendly Store Project.” Since then, all newly opened and
refurbished stores follow more than 20 energy saving rules which together give an annual saving of
66,000 kWh per store.
This project has been certified by AENOR.
Environmental Policy 13
2.1 MEASURES FOR REDUCING CLIMATE CONTROL ENERGY
DEMAND
1. DOORS
ACTION:
Installation of a fast automatic vertical closing door.
OBJECTIVE:
To separate the air-conditioned areas (retail space) from the
non air conditioned areas (storage area).
2. LOBBY
ACTION:
A Lobby at the entrance of the shops (automatic glass door, screen
partition, enclosing elements etc.).
OBJECTIVE:
To avoid drafts and an exchange of temperatures with the exterior,
and to eliminate the need of placing a ventilation machine (air
curtain).
3. CEILINGS
ACTION:
To reduce the height of false ceilings by 15 cm in the sales area.
OBJECTIVE:
To reduce the climate controlled area.
14 Environmental Policy
2.2 MEASURES FOR REDUCING ENERGY CONSUMPTION
1. HEAT RECOVERY
Installation of a system to recover heat from
the machinery area, taking advantage of the
residual heat from the compressors used for
the air conditioning in the fresh products and
meat retail space.
2. TIMERS
Installation of timers in the control panel of the anticondensation devices in the refrigerators.
3. REFRIGERATORS
Installation of acoustic alarms to warn when the cold
storage rooms are opened.
Installation of a light alarm to warn when a light is left on
in the cold storage rooms.
4. AUTOMATIC SWITCHING-OFF
Installation of a programmer for the automatic switching-off of
standby power: air conditioning, water heating deposits, oven
extractor fan and lighting control of retail space.
Environmental Policy 15
2.3 MEASURES FOR REDUCING LIGHTING CONSUMPTION
1. STORE LIGHTING
Power reduction in the general lighting
of the store.
2. PRESENCE SENSORS
Installation of automatic lighting control units in the interior areas by
presence sensors.
3. PHOTOELECTRIC CELL
Automatic control of lighting in the exterior areas and parking, by
placing photoelectric cells.
4. STORE ENTRANCE
Eliminate spotlights or any type of light from the
store entrance.
5. REFRIGERATORS
Install a pilot light indicator on all refrigerators.
6. DIMMING DETECTORS
Automatic control of lighting in the interior areas, by placing
dimmers (dusk detectors).
7. LOW CONSUMPTION LIGHTS
Substitution of
spot lights for
fluorescent panels
(changing rooms,
offices, lounge and
training room).
16 Environmental Policy
Installation of sets
of fluorescent
tubes instead of
spotlights (toilets,
showers, basins
and entrances).
Substitution of
florescent panels
and fluorescent
tubes (in the retail
space) for low
consumption lights.
2.4 EFFECTIVE WAYS OF SAVING ENERGY
The 63,500 workers have been trained in ways to save energy in stores as well as in warehouses.
SAVING ENERGY METHOD
WHAT
HOW
WHEN
Do not leave lights on
Turning off the light when not
needed, upon leaving an area, etc...
Light is not needed
Reduce lighting
1/3 of the lighting in the retail space
We are not open to the public
Take advantage of natural light
Curtains and blinds drawn back or
in a way that allows the maximum
amount of natural light to enter
Natural light can penetrate from the
exterior
Keep the fridges covered
With the allocated means (curtains,
insulating panels, etc…)
We are not open to the public, or
handling goods from the fridge
Load limit
Goods should not exceed the grills
or marks on the refrigerator or on the
evaporator
Always
Closed walk-in fridges
Keep open only when necessary
Upon entering or exiting the walk-in
fridge
Fresh product fridge
Do not distribute the goods in
different refrigerators if it can be
stored in only one, turning off the
unneeded one (criteria: it should
never be the meat refrigerator or
the pre-storage freezer for frozen
products)
Always
Appliances not in use
Turn off the machines that are not
being used (mincer, cutter, scales,
wrappers, air conditioner, computer,
etc...)
Always
Turn off oven once baked
Turn off with shutdown button at
the end of baking as described in
the current method (turning on 10
minutes before baking)
Always
Annual saving per eco-friendly store:
66,000
kWh
Environmental Policy 17
AMBIENCE STORES. A MODEL OF AN ECO-FRIENDLY STORE
Investing in innovation in order to satisfy the 5 components of the company
A retail space of approximately 1,500m2
STORAGE ROOM
Larger and better defined space.
MACHINERY
ROOM
With a system of heat
exploitation.
AUTOMATIC DOORS
To separate the air-conditioned area (retail space),
from the non air-conditioned area (Other areas).
Energy saving.
WASTE
Isolated closed waste-disposal
area in order to respect the
urban environment and avoid
disturbing neighbors.
PARKING
PUBLIC
TRANSPORT
Neighborhood stores
accessible by public
transport.
PARKING
Comfortable parking spaces
with wider lanes. Perforated
aluminum plates on ground or
first floors to take advantage of
natural light.
LIGHT COLORED
FLOORS AND CEILLINGS
Provide more light and give the sense of a wider
space.
18 Environmental Policy
LOWER SHOP
FURNITURE
Allows better visibility, making
the shopping experience more
comfortable.
EMPLOYEE ROOMS
Bigger and more comfortable. Low
consumption lighting controlled with timers
and presence detectors. Energy saving.
EMPLOYEE LOUNGE
Equipped with more services for the
employees.
LOCKER ROOMS
Bigger spaces and individual lockers.
TRAINING
ROOMS
RETAIL SPACE
WIDE AISLES
Allows for a greater and better mobility
for the customer. The objective is to
enable up to three shopping carts to pass
simultaneously.
PARKING
LOWER CEILINGS
To optimize climate control in the store.
Energy saving.
SECTIONS IDENTIFIED BY
COLORS
Depending on the section, the colors vary for an easier
identification by the customer.
Light grey, for perfumery; yellow, for dairy products; red, for
meats; green for fruit and vegetables; blue for fish; etc.
LIGHTING
A clear and well-directed light provides better
vision of the different sections and products, lower
consumption and greater energy efficiency.
Environmental Policy 19
2.5 PRACTICES TO SAVE ENERGY
IN WAREHOUSES
The solar panel installation in the Villadangos logistics block
was installed in 2008 and is capable of producing enough
energy to power the equivalent of 30 households. This new
logistics block also has a system to collect rainwater from the
roof and is stored in a 500 m3 tank for future use, with oil-water
separators installed where the rain flows from the roof to prevent accidental spillage.
In 2010, a system was installed to recover the breaking energy
in the Villadangos warehouse. This system converts the breaking energy of machines into electric energy, and allows us to
save up to 4% of the electrical consumption of the warehouse.
20 Environmental Policy
All the logistics blocks’ employees
have been trained in effective
practices to save energy, aimed
at avoiding the loss of cool air and
the waste of energy
With all these energy
saving actions in
2010 we achieved:
360
66,000
Eco-friendly stores
kWh savings per eco-friendly store
82,000,000
26,000
kWh savings in the whole chain
fewer tons of indirect emissions
of CO2
Environmental Policy 21
3. MANAGEMENT OF
COMMERCIAL PACKAGING
3.1 CARDBOARD AND PLASTIC RECOVERY
3.2 EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE RECOVERY
3.3 RE-USABLE PACKAGE SYSTEM
3.4 DISPOSABLE WOODEN PALLET RECOVERY
3.5 PLASTIC PALLETS
Respecting the environment is an important factor to consider when carrying out the
company’s activities. To do so, we use the type of packaging that adds more value to
the process, so waste produced by the stores and warehouses is managed in the most
efficient manner.
The re-usable packaging along with the cardboard, plastic and expanded polystyrene
produced in the daily activity of stores, is returned by reverse logistics to the
warehouses and the logistics blocks applying the Estrategia del Ocho (by using the
same trucks that carry the goods to the stores which otherwise would have returned
empty). All of these materials are later recycled and recovered, preventing them from
ending up in a dump.
22 Environmental Policy
Each store has a shredding compacter machine able to
shred the
360 kg of cardboard
produced on average per day, which in all amounts to
9,500 kg per store every month.
The bag full of shredded cardboard is transported to the
logistics platform in the same trucks that took the goods to
the store (inverted logistics).
3.1 CARDBOARD AND PLASTIC
RECOVERY
Under the advice of cardboard, plastic and re-usable packaging managers, Mercadona has prepared an infrastructure
(shredding compacters in stores, inverse logistics and package warehouses in the logistics platforms) to collect all of the
packaging at sales points at the end of its use and to insure its
re-utilization and/or recycling.
In the packaging warehouse all the cardboard collected from
the stores is re-processed using a continual press that packs
it in 700 kilo bales. It’s packed using precise dimensions to
optimize space when loading the trailer crates and transported
to the integrated paper group Saica, European leaders in the
recycling of used paper.
Environmental Policy 23
The Hacendado milk boxes are an example of the complete cycle: cardboard
that is recovered from the stores, is recycled and sent to the supplier, who
produces more boxes with this material.
In the year 2010 Mercadona recovered and sent to Saica for recycling:
146,000
tons of cardboard
Cardboard savings in 2010:
- 21 trucks of cardboard daily (6,600
annually).
- 2.2 new packages per kilo of recovered
cardboard.
- 322 million new packages
manufactured from the cardboard
recovered in Mercadona.
Plastic savings in 2010:
The process of recovering plastic is
similar to that of cardboard.
This year a total of:
- 6,800 tons of plastic from stores
have been recovered and sent to
Saica for recycling.
24 Environmental Policy
3.2 EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE
RECOVERY
In all Mercadona stores and warehouses the expanded polystyrene boxes used to transport fresh fish are also recovered
and returned to the warehouse by way of reverse logistics.
In 2010:
For this purpose, press machines have been installed in the
packaging warehouses, allowing the volume of the boxes to be
reduced, transforming them into compact blocks that facilitate
their transport and future recycling. The recovered material is
re-used to manufacture new products, instead of ending up in
a landfill.
tons
of expanded polystyrene
was recovered
912
After being shredded and washed, the recovered polystyrene
becomes a material that is used for the manufacturing of new
polystyrene boxes, hangers, transport bases, flower pots, television back covers, auto parts, urban furniture, etc.
Environmental Policy 25
3.3 RE-USABLE PACKAGE
SYSTEM
Logifruit, Mercadona’s reusable container integrated supplier, delivers the reusable containers directly to the suppliers so they can deliver the product and guarantee transport, handling and display at the store.
The empty containers return from the store to the Mercadona warehouses, where they are cleaned and automatically classified.
The containers are washed after each use. Logifruit is able
to reduce the consumption of water by 40%, by recovering
the water used when rinsing and disinfecting and using it
for prewash.
An unfolded box occupies
the same space as 5
folded boxes
1 = 5
Since 2006 Logifruit has been substituting reusable
hard boxes for other foldable ones to optimize the
transportation of the empty boxes even more. Once
folded, the space needed for storage and transport is
reduced by 80%.
In 2010:
- 190,000,000 trips were made with these reusable containers.
- 570,000 containers were delivered to suppliers daily (14,700,000
containers monthly).
- 70,000,000 trips were made with foldable boxes.
- 38,000 fewer empty trucks on the roads.
- 10,000 fewer tons of CO2 were emitted.
26 Environmental Policy
Foldable boxes:
80%
space saving in trucks
10,000 38,000
fewer tons of C02
fewer trucks
Environmental Policy 27
3.4 DISPOSABLE WOODEN
PALLET RECOVERY
Continuing with the objective of recovering and not disposing
of valuable materials in the dump, Mercadona recovers and
recycles the single use wooden pallets, by separating them
from the reusable ones.
Mercadona’s logistics platforms have pallet classifying circuits
for this purpose.
3.5 PLASTIC PALLETS
A progressive change from wooden pallets to plastic ones is
taking place. These plastic pallets are made entirely from recovered and recycled materials.
This change has already been implemented for perishable
goods, and the objective is to incorporate it for the rest of the
products.
In 2010:
104,000
single use pallets were recovered,
which means
2,100
tons of wood recycled
28 Environmental Policy
12
million
trips using plastic pallets
With all of these initiatives
in the management of
commercial packaging in
2010 the following was
achieved:
10,000
Recycling:
in tons
146,000
6,800
2,100
912
tons of paper
and cardboard
fewer tons of CO2 by
reducing the number
of trucks needed to
transport the same
number of boxes
CO2
tons of plastic
tons of wood
tons of expanded polystyrene
Environmental Policy 29
4. WASTE MANAGEMENT
4.1 ROOM FOR WASTE CONTAINERS
4.2 BATTERY COLLECTION
4.3 HAZARDOUS WASTE AREA
4.4 SAVING PAPER
Waste management in Mercadona focuses on finding the most efficient way to remove
waste without disturbing the neighbors. In line with this, each store is provided with an
indoor closed area dedicated exclusively to waste containers to avoid litter and smells in
the streets.
Likewise, both in stores and in warehouses, all hazardous waste produced by
maintenance activities is stored in identified and isolated areas until removed by
authorized agents, who recover and recycle the materials.
As part of Mercadona’s strategy to promote a responsible consumption of paper,
an electronic invoicing system has been implemented. The certification FSC (which
authorizes a sustainable management of wood) has also been obtained for all of our
cellulose products as well as all of our own brand milk and juice containers.
30 Environmental Policy
4.1 ROOM FOR WASTE
CONTAINERS
This area is exclusively used to store rubbish containers. It
is equipped with ozone deodorizers and has double access
(from the store and from the street) avoiding the presence of
containers in the urban environment.
The purpose of the isolated waste
container room is:
• To avoid filth and odors outside
• To avoid having rubbish containers on
the street
• To guarantee a greater level of hygiene
• To respect the urban environment
All these initiatives are taken to prevent
disturbing our neighbors
4.2 BATTERY COLLECTION
Since 2009 all stores have had battery collection containers
installed. These are sent to authorized agents for the correct
treatment and recycling.
130
tons of used batteries were collected
in 2010 and sent to be recycled
Environmental Policy 31
4.3 HAZARDOUS WASTE AREA
All warehouses and stores are equipped with areas on site,
to safely store on the premises hazardous waste produced
by maintenance works, until they are removed by authorized
agents.
By doing so we stop any hazardous waste from being thrown
into the environment and we recuperate materials and resources, contributing to the reduction of the environmental
impact caused by the company’s activities.
In 2010:
265
tons of recovered and recycled
residues
32 Environmental Policy
7,000
Kg of recovered and
recycled toners
4.4 SAVING PAPER
In 2008 Mercadona implemented the EDI system of electronic
invoicing with 100% of our suppliers. Likewise, the digitalized
signature system has been installed in all stores for transactions made by credit cards.
In addition all cellulose products sold in Mercadona, as well as
the Tetra Brik cartons of Hacendado milk and juices, have been
certified by FSC and come from sustainable forests. This contributes to improving the management of forests, stops illegal
logging and promotes the conservation of the most threatened
forests, through responsible consumption of timber products.
90
fewer tons of paper
consumed thanks to digitalized
signing
The Tetra Brik cartons of
Hacendado milk and juices have
the FSC certification
270
fewer tons of CO2
emitted into the atmosphere
Environmental Policy 33
5. “ECO-DESIGNED”
PRODUCTS
5.1 STACKING OPTIMIZATION
5.2 CONCENTRATION AND COMPACTING OF PRODUCTS
5.3 PACKAGING REDUCTION
5.4 SHOPPING BAGS
It’s worth noting the initiatives that we have been carrying out for years
to save natural resources, by integrating environmental aspects in the
design of products.
These improvements have been achieved thanks mainly to the close
relationship and cooperation of Mercadona’s integrated suppliers. As a
result of this collaboration 82% of integrated supplier factories already
have a standardized environmental certification (ISO 14001, EMAS o
similar) and 18 % of them are currently being certified.
34 Environmental Policy
5.1 STACKING OPTIMIZATION
Following the policy of “transporting more with fewer resources,” efficient loading of trucks is very important. Efforts have
been made to load trucks in a more efficient way to obtain
better stacking, in order to transport more units in each truck,
thus reducing the number of necessary trips. This helps the
stores to be better supplied and creates a more sustainable
use of the truck fleet, saving energy and preventing CO2 emissions.
By improving the stacking system
more units can be transported per
truck, saving energy and preventing
CO2 emissions
Wine and oil
By modifying the design of the bottle and making
it square, we managed to increase the number of
units transported on each pallet by 16%, with the
consequent saving of trucks.
By taking advantage of the gaps between the bottles
when stacking them, we have managed to transport
20% more units on each pallet, thus reducing the
number of necessary trips to transport them.
122
26
fewer tons of CO2 per year
fewer tons of CO2 per year
Environmental Policy 35
5.2 CONCENTRATION AND
COMPACTING OF PRODUCTS
100% of Mercadona’s own brand house cleaning products
(laundry and house cleaning) adhere to the AISE (International
Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products)
regulation.
Sustainability Charter Logo
These products carry the logo of the Sustainability Charter, a
European industry initiative, aimed at developing and continuously improving sustainability. This reinforces the collective responsibility that industry has for society, protecting the health
and well being of the workforce and consumers and reducing
the impact on the environment.
This logo is included on the
label of cleaning products,
showing the commitment of the
company and its suppliers to
respect the environment.
Compacting the cellulose products
Through a process of compacting that eliminates the air from the product, we have managed to
reduce the volume while maintaining the same number of units, saving on transport and materials.
In addition, the raw materials used in our cellulose products come from sustainable forests.
In 2009, this initiative set by S.C.A., Mercadona’s integrated supplier for cellulose products, was
mentioned at the Summit of Climatic Change of Copenhagen as an example of sustainability
(http://www.sealthedeal2009.org/psa-tv-series7).
In 2010 this policy meant:
- Having 50% more product occupying the same volume.
- Avoiding 3,244 trucks and 120 ship containers.
- 2,200 fewer tons of cardboard.
- 140 fewer tons of plastic.
- Emitting 850 fewer tons of CO2.
36 Environmental Policy
Softeners and detergents
Steps are being taken to concentrate all cleaning products. Since 2007 all fabric softeners and an increasing number
of Mercadona’s own brand products are being concentrated. Efforts are being made to increase the number of
concentrated products on the shelves, thus obtaining a bigger saving and a smaller impact on the environment.
This motion means:
A 60% saving on transport: The same amount of product is moved in one third of the space.
A 64% saving in packaging.
1,300
tons of cardboard saved
600
fewer tons of CO2 by
reducing the number of trucks needed to
transport the same amount of product
Environmental Policy 37
5.3 PACKAGING REDUCTION
Reducing the amount of packaging not only generates less
waste, but also improves the logistics of the products and allows for a better cost control. In this way, improvements have
been achieved by reducing weight in beverage bottles and
bath gels, by eliminating superfluous cardboard and plastic
from packaging, or even by completely eliminating the container. This can be seen with fruit as it went from being sold
packed to being sold in bulk.
Loose Fruit
The trays and plastic film have been eliminated from
fruit, maintaining the maximum standards of quality
and food safety and improving waste management both
in the store and at home.
38 Environmental Policy
1,900
tons of plastic saved per year
5.4 SHOPPING BAGS
In order to achieve the objective set by the Plan Nacional Integrado de Residuos the consumption of single-use plastic bags
50% by 2012, Mercadona has carried out an awareness campaign aimed at employees and clients to promote the use of
reusable bags.
In the shops where the reduction program has been implemented, customers are being encouraged to reuse the bags
they already have at home. We also offer an assortment of reusable bags in case the customer needs to purchase them.
In Cataluña stores the consumption
of one-use plastic bags has been
reduced by more than
80%
This policy was implemented first in Cataluña in 2010, framed
in the commitments agreed in the Pacte per la Bossa, and it
achieved a reduction of more than 80% in the consumption
of one-use plastic bags. Throughout 2011 this policy will be
implemented in every store in the Mercadona chain.
Environmental Policy 39
SOME EXAMPLES OF ACTIONS TAKEN
PRODUCT
ANNUAL SAVING
Increase number of units per box. Packaging
reduction. Elimination of labels.
1,800 trucks
45 tons of cardboard
Cardboard packaging reduction.
Stacking optimization.
1,200 trucks
575 tons of cardboard
Reduction of empty space in the package.
Elimination of the plastic handle and the
measuring cup.
520 trucks
650 tons of cardboard
550 tons of plastic
Change of format of the container. Stacking
optimization. Elimination of cardboard boxes.
50 trucks
675 tons of cardboard
Reduction of weight.
Reduction of size of the cap.
360 tons of plastic
Elimination of cellophane and cardboard boxes.
294 tons of cardboard
218 tons of plastic
RICE
Packaging reduction. Stacking optimization.
Moving factories closer to logistics centers.
175 trucks
20 tons of cardboard
30 tons of plastic
EGGS
Moving the farms closer to logistics centers.
Stacking optimization.
912 trucks
Change to PET tray (packaging easier to recycle).
Stacking optimization.
600 trucks
Packaging reduction. Increase in units per box.
Stacking Optimization.
60 trucks
358 tons of cardboard
Packaging weight reduction.
440 tons of cardboard
Stacking optimization. Increase of units per box.
Weight reduction of the container.
144 trucks
30 tons of plastic
Packaging optimization.
510 trucks
Change from tray to vacuum package.
205 tons of plastic
LONG LIFE
FRESH BREAD
Packaging weight reduction.
Increase of units per box.
272 trucks
20 tons of plastic
BATH GELS &
CONDITIONERS
Packaging weight reduction.
160 tons of plastic
LOAF OF BREAD &
PASTRIES
YOGHURTS AND
DESSERTS
WASHING POWDER
AND TABLETS
PET FOOD
BOTTLE OF WATER 2 L
DISPOSABLE
HOUSEHOLD ITEMS
CHICKEN ON TRAY
PRAWNS
MILK
MEAT
PRODUCTS
JUICE
FRESH MEAT
40 Environmental Policy
ACTION
Packaging weight reduction and
change of format.
Elimination of tray, fixed weight and film.
Removal of the cardboard box.
Volume reduction of the cover.
Ink reduction in printing.
Environmental Policy 41
The “Eco-design” of
products has achieved
in 2010:
4.5%
23,000
reduction of packaging
for our products during
2009 y 2010
fewer tons of CO2 thanks to
stacking improvement and
packaging reduction
7,000
fewer tons of plastic
8,000
fewer tons of cardboard
11,300
fewer trucks
after improving various
packaging processes
42 Environmental Policy
6. EUROPEAN RETAIL
FORUM FOR
SUSTAINABILITY
Mercadona has been a member of the Retail Forum, a joint project of the European Commission,
since its foundation in March 2009 and is also a
member of the European Retail Round Table (ERRT)
and Eurocommerce. The objective of the Retail Forum is to promote sustainability in the distribution
sector, encourage the manufacture of more sustainable products and improve customer information.
On the 24th of July 2010 the Forum’s first annual
event took place, inaugurated by the European Commissioner of Environment, Janez
Potočnik. In this act the Retail Environmental Sustainability Code was presented,
which is a code of good practices with the objective of obtaining a more sustainable
consumption.
This code involves the commitment to continue adopting measures aimed at improving the environmental behavior of distribution in the following areas:
1. Promoting more environmentally sustainable sourcing and production of products.
2. Improving the environmental performance of the retailers’ premises.
3. Optimizing the transportation of goods.
4. Reducing packaging and minimizing waste.
5. Improving facility access.
6. Improving communications with customers.
Environmental Policy 43
7. Relevant Data 2010
Sustainable Logistics (page 11):
112,000
fewer vehicles per year
217,500
fewer tons of CO2
Energy savings (page 21):
82,000,000
kWh saved
26,000
fewer tons of CO2 indirect emissions
Commercial packaging management (page 29):
152,800
tons of cardboard and plastic
recuperated
10,000
fewer tons of CO2
“Eco-designed” products (page 42):
15,000
tons of cardboard and plastic
saved
44 Environmental Policy
23,000
fewer tons of CO2
Although we have made
substantial progress with our
environmental management
systems, we are aware there are
many aspects still to improve
and are continuing to work with
this goal in mind
MERCADONA ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY 2010
C/ Valencia, 5
46016 Tavernes Blanques (Valencia)
T. +34 963 883 333
F. +34 963 883 302
www.mercadona.es