Europe’s most climate-friendly supermarket revealed - see full list

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illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Euronews or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: A new study ranks Europe’s largest supermarket chains on their climate performance, revealing that most are falling short despite their outsized influence on food-related emissions
• The analysis assessed 27 supermarket chains across Europe on climate targets and efforts to shift sales toward plant-rich foods
• Only five retailers have reduced emissions since they began reporting
• German and Dutch chains dominate the top of the ranking, while several French, Swedish, and German retailers sit at the bottom

🔭 The context: Food systems account for roughly one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions, second only to fossil fuels
• Supermarkets strongly shape consumption patterns through pricing, promotions, and product placement
• The study evaluated alignment with the Paris Agreement and progress on reducing reliance on animal-based proteins
• Meat and dairy account for around 50% of supermarket emissions on average

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Supermarkets are pivotal levers for cutting food-system emissions
• Shifting sales from meat-heavy diets to plant-rich foods can significantly reduce deforestation, methane emissions, and land-use pressure
• Transparent targets and plant-forward strategies are essential for supermarkets to meet net-zero goals and support global climate limits
• Without retailer-led protein transitions, food-related emissions alone could drive nearly 1°C of additional warming by 2100

⏭️ What’s next: Pressure is growing on retailers to act faster and more transparently
• Leading chains like Lidl and Albert Heijn may set benchmarks for competitors
• NGOs warn that without sector-wide ambition, climate targets in agriculture and food will remain out of reach

💬 One quote: “Supermarkets have the power to shape a healthier and climate-friendly food system — but the sector is far from using its full leverage,” — Charlotte Lineebank, Questionmark

📈 One stat: Animal-based foods generate about 50% of total supermarket emissions

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