May 27, 2019 – Delhaize Belgium has announced the launch of the Lion's Footprint, an ambitious sustainability program to improve the brand’s impact on the environment. The program, introduced by Delhaize CEO Xavier Piesvaux, consists of three main parts: reducing the use of plastic; cutting food waste; and achieving carbon neutrality by 2021.
With the help of associates and sustainability partners, Delhaize is taking up the challenge to be the first Belgian retailer to neutralize its ecological footprint:
Less plastic
In 10 supermarkets, Delhaize is testing fruits and vegetables without plastic packaging, slashing plastic use by 80% and eliminating an average of 12 tons of plastic per store per year. Delhaize has five ambitions: ban single-use plastic products from its stores by 2020; abolish single-use plastic bags for packing bulk products or at the point of sale; use recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) packaging for 50% of beverage packaging by 2025; use reusable or recyclable materials for all packaging; and reduce plastic packaging by 25% by 2025.
Reduced food waste
Delhaize has a longstanding commitment to reducing food waste. Since 2012, the brand has had a food recovery program to donate products that are nearing the end of their lifecycle to food banks and local charities. In 2018, a record 4.3 million meals were distributed and – through the efforts of more than 145 local associations – 2,905 tons of food were saved.
Carbon-neutral balance by 2021
Delhaize, which since 2008 has reduced emissions by 44%, wants to make its support office and stores CO2-neutral within two years through new technologies, equipment, green energy and changes in associate behavior. It also will review and optimize the supply chain by promoting new technologies, using more double-deck trucks and testing innovative solutions such as electric bikes for deliveries in cities. Delhaize is also introducing a pact with suppliers to help achieve its ambition.
For more information, visit www.delhaize.be/thelionsfootprint. And view a video of Xavier discussing the Lion’s Footprint with two students:
