UK’s 10 major supermarkets failing to meet their climate commitment promises

REVEALED: UK’s 10 major supermarkets make a climate commitment every six days – but failing against own promises

New research released today reveals that – despite the UK’s 10 major supermarkets making an environmental commitment every six days over the past decade – there is little evidence of sufficient progress or consistent public transparency.

New analysis⁽¹⁾ of the past decade by charity Feedback Global, with support from The Food Foundation, showed that 600 commitments were set by the top 10 major retailers between 2014 and 2024 relating to climate and emissions, land use and deforestation, and sustainable and healthy diets.

Despite this, the sector as a whole is failing to deliver consistent and rapid progress, particularly on key areas such as Greenhouse gas emissions generated in supermarkets’ supply chains, known as Scope 3 emissions, which account for a huge 90% of retailers’ carbon footprints.

For example, while nine out of 10 retailers assessed have set supply chain emissions reduction targets for 2030, only four are publishing UK specific progress updates –  with only Aldi, Waitrose, Co-op and Morrisons showing progress in the right direction.

To hit national climate targets, the retail sector will have to start being more transparent and disclosing data on key sustainability metrics so they can be held to account on whether they are meeting targets. This will lead to measurable targets, rather than ambiguous commitments.

The food sector accounts for approximately a third (35%) of the UK’s territorial greenhouse gas emissions, yet progress in reducing emissions lags behind the rest of the economy⁽²⁾.

Meanwhile, the ten largest supermarkets make up 94.8%  of the food retail market, meaning they have a pivotal role in reaching – or jeopardising – climate and biodiversity goals.

While the making of climate commitments is a positive step, if businesses fail to reveal data on their progress it is easy for commitments to go unmet. Without mandatory reporting, supermarkets can make meaningless pledges, and it is impossible for anyone on the outside to hold them to account.

That’s why, as the government sits down with food industry insiders and others to consider its forthcoming food strategy, charities Feedback Global and The Food Foundation say it’s high time to level the playing field by requiring all large food businesses to disclose data on key sustainability and health metrics. Businesses should also look to set measurable targets to promote healthy and sustainable diets and meet net zero goals.

As the government’s Climate Change Committee has set out⁽³⁾, meeting UK climate goals will mean changing our diets, to include healthier, plant-based foods and fewer meat and dairy-based meals.

The UK’s recent Carbon Budget set an explicit target to reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions by 39% by 2040, including a 27% reduction in cattle and sheep numbers and 25% reduction in all meat consumption by 2040.

Yet retailers are failing to keep pace, with only just over half of 49 current commitments on healthy and sustainable diets including measurable targets.

While progress on Scope 3 emissions lags behind, positively, all major retailers have set Scope 1 and 2 emissions⁽⁴⁾  targets – which stem from sources directly controlled by the company – and are overall on track to meet these on or ahead of time.

This is very likely being driven by the increasing number of mandatory corporate reporting directives requiring businesses to publicly disclose data on their environmental impact. UK companies are already required to disclose their Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions in their annual reports, in line with the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) framework.

This examination of a decade of voluntary action by UK supermarkets has revealed the government must lead and support the food retail sector on a fundamental transformation to genuinely meet its climate and sustainability commitments.

Jessica Sinclair Taylor, Deputy Director at Feedback Global, said: "Supermarkets’ voluntary climate commitments clearly aren’t going to cut it when it comes to climate goals.

"What’s more, retailers themselves privately admit they need government support to level the playing field and reach their goals.

"As the climate and nature crisis gains pace – last year’s harvest was the worst on record - leaving the industry to mark its own copybook simply isn’t good enough.

"We need to see the urgent introduction of mandatory, legally-binding standards for all major food businesses when the government publishes its highly anticipated food strategy later this year."

Rebecca Tobi, Senior business and investor engagement manager at The Food Foundation, said: "We are running out of time to avert the climate crisis and as this research very clearly shows it's becomingly increasingly obvious that businesses simply can't do this on their own.

"While all UK supermarkets are signed up to a huge number of commendable schemes working towards net zero and more sustainable diets, we are just not seeing the pace of progress we so urgently need for both people and planet.

"So, it's critical that the government make sure that the new food strategy ensures mandatory reporting against key health and sustainability metrics and brings in regulation that truly levels the playing field for all food businesses."

Sophie Lawrence, Stewardship and Engagement Lead, Greenbank, said: "As a sustainable investor, we are interested in the long-term resilience of companies and their ability to adapt in the face of the several sustainability challenges we face.

"We are increasingly aware of the material financial risks facing food sector companies related to issues such as diet-related poor health, nature loss and climate change.

"While we welcome the growing ambition from food sector companies to better manage social and environmental impacts across their operations and supply chains, it is vital that such commitments are backed up by data and disclosures to enable investors and other stakeholders to assess whether promises are being met."

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Please contact Juliet Grant on 07929075489 or email juliet.grant@foodfoundation.org.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS:

⁽¹⁾ Commitment issues: Why UK retailers’ climate commitments are failing to deliver and what can be done to fix it https://foodfoundation.org.uk/news/why-uk-retailers-climate-commitments-are-failing-deliver-and-what-can-be-done-fix-it
This research used the best available data on retailer targets and reporting in the public domain in January and February 2025. It looked at climate and healthy diets targets across the past decade, from 2014-2024, covering:

• Climate amibition and greenhouse gas reduction targets and progress: SBTi dashboard and publicly available annual, sustainability and impact reports, and press releases.
• Sustainable diets targets: publicly available annual, sustainability and impact reports, and press releases.

Data collected was shared with individual retailers for comments or correction. 

⁽²⁾  The Broken Plate 2025: The State of the Nation’s Food System, by Food Foundation, found that while UK emissions for the whole economy fell by 38% between 2008 and 2022, emissions from the food system fell by just 17% over the same period of time, showing the food sector is lagging behind. https://foodfoundation.org.uk/sites/default/files/2025-04/TFF_The%20Broken%20Plate%202025.pdf 

⁽³⁾ The Climate Change Committee, The Seventh Carbon Budget: https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/the-seventh-carbon-budget/

⁽⁴⁾ Scope 1 emissions are direct greenhouse gas emissions that occur from sources that are controlled or owned by an organisation. Scope 2 emissions are indirect greenhouse gas emissions associated with the purchase of electricity, steam, heat or cooling.

AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW

Dr Hannah Brinsden, Head of Policy and Advocacy, The Food Foundation.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter/X: @Food_Foundation 
Instagram: food.foundation
LinkedIn: The Food Foundation
Bluesky: The Food Foundation
Tiktok: thefoodfoundation
YouTube: @foodfoundation91

The Food Foundation Podcast
For in-depth analysis and lived experiences listen to our podcast

ABOUT THE FOOD FOUNDATION
The Food Foundation is a charity working to influence food policy and business practice, shaping a sustainable food system which makes healthy diets affordable and accessible for all. We work in partnership with researchers, campaigners, community bodies, industry, investors, government and citizens to galvanise the UK’s diverse agents of change, using surprising and inventive ideas to drive fundamental shifts in our food system. These efforts are based on the continual re-evaluation of opportunities for action, building and synthesising strong evidence, convening powerful coalitions, harnessing citizens’ voices and delivering impactful communications.        
Registered Charity Number 1187611.

ABOUT FEEDBACK
Feedback is an environmental campaign group working for food that is good for the planet and its people. To do this we challenge power, catalyse action and empower people to achieve positive change.