UK Retailers Push for Clearer Rules to Deliver Sustainability Targets

Ongoing research 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.

Analysis 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.

With supermarkets making up nearly 95% of the UK’s food retail market, their role in achieving climate and biodiversity targets is pivotal. The government’s Climate Change Committee has set ambitious national goals, including a 39% cut in agricultural greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, alongside shifts towards healthier, more plant-based diets. Retailers are well placed to influence these changes by driving innovation, reshaping supply chains, and supporting customer choice.

All major retailers have set Scope 1 and 2 emissions targets – covering emissions from operations they directly control – and are generally on track to meet these ahead of schedule. This progress is being boosted by mandatory corporate reporting rules, such as the UK’s Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) framework, which already requires businesses to disclose these emissions in their annual reports.

While progress on Scope 3 remains more complex due to factors outside direct operational control, supermarkets are increasingly recognising the importance of measurable, transparent targets. Collaboration between retailers, government, and supply chain partners – combined with clear national policy direction – will help ensure continued progress towards net zero and more sustainable diets.

A decade of voluntary action by supermarkets has laid solid foundations. With further government support and a level playing field for environmental reporting, the sector is well positioned to deliver the fundamental transformation needed to meet the UK’s climate and sustainability commitments.

Jessica Sinclair Taylor, Deputy Director at Feedback Global, said: "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."