Marks & Spencer (M&S) has reported a 28% reduction in UK and Ireland waste as it details progress against its sustainable business plan, Plan A, for financial year 2016/17.
During the year, M&S continued to operate as a zero waste to landfill business (first achieved in 2012), it says, and remains the “only carbon neutral major retailer for four years in a row”.
It reported in it’s annual update that as well as reducing waste in it UK and Ireland operations by 28%, it has also significantly expanded its food surplus redistribution scheme.
Nearly 600 charities benefited from the redistribution of surplus fruit, vegetables, bread, cakes and other groceries. 757 tonnes of surplus foods were donated (this compares to 168 tonnes in 2015/16).
“We’ve achieved so much over the last decade, but I’m very clear that it was just a dress rehearsal for the disruptive steps M&S will take over the next decade as Plan A 2025 helps transform M&S into a truly sustainable business.”
M&S works in partnership with Neighbourly, the social network for social good, to connect local charities with their local M&S store. The retailer recently announced that it had stopped partnerships with the Real Junk Food Project (TRJFP) in light of the Trading Standards hearing with founder Adam Smith.
Mike Barry, Plan A Director at M&S, said: “In a year of change at M&S, Plan A has once again made a significant contribution to M&S and made good progress in making our products, stores and supply chains better for people, planet and communities.
“There are some outstanding achievements in the 2017 report and solid progress across our commitments. As will always be the case with an ambitious, stretching plan, some of our goals are behind plan, but in every case we have an action plan to address the challenges and hit our commitment targets.”
M&S recently launched Plan A 2025, which aims to make all M&S packaging “widely recyclable” by 2022.
Mike Barry continued: “We’ve achieved so much over the last decade, but I’m very clear that it was just a dress rehearsal for the disruptive steps M&S will take over the next decade as Plan A 2025 helps transform M&S into a truly sustainable business.”