Waitrose

Waitrose supermarket chain is part of the John Lewis Partnership (JLP), principally targeting the UK middle-class market. JLP is held in trust for its approximately 69,000 employees, all of whom are partners. Thus, the 40,000 or so Waitrose employees have a voice in the business. Waitrose operates over 190 supermarkets, four distribution centers, and manages its own farm—the 4,000-acre Leckford Estate in Hampshire, England. It commands approximately 4 percent of the UK market.

Like all major UK supermarket chains, Waitrose is anxious to exhibit its green credentials. Its innovative initiatives range from experiments with “eco-bikes” as an alternative to delivery trucks, to replacing cardboard shipping boxes with reusable plastic. They include locating stores in town centers, using empty delivery vehicles to collect stock from suppliers (backhauling) and encouraging suppliers to deliver Waitrose goods to a store on its return trip from a regional distribution center. Waitrose was the first in the United Kingdom to introduce its own “bag for life” reusable shopping bag, which it sells cheaply and replaces free of charge when damaged or worn out. Returned bags are recycled into “plaswood” furniture that is then provided to store branches, schools, and local authorities and charities. Waitrose also introduced a range of reusable jute bags, experimented with bags made from 33 percent recycled material, and piloted schemes for bag-free green checkout counters at some outlets. Prominent communication in every store encourages customers to reuse existing bags.

One of Waitrose's main programs is setting specific targets against which it subsequently monitors progress. Some of the specific targets to reduce the company's carbon footprint are as follows:

• Reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per unit (million £) of sales 10 percent by 2010, 20 percent by 2020, and 60 percent by 2050 (all targets relative to 2001 levels)
• Source 100 percent of electricity from green sources and consider all potential sources of renewable energy for both stores and offices
• Improve the energy efficiency of all facilities 20 percent by 2010 (relative to 2003 levels)
• Reduce energy-related CO2 emissions from stores’ deliveries 15 percent by 2013 (compared with 2005 levels)

[Page 536]Although admitting that its absolute carbon emissions had increased 7 percent by 2008 due to extended store hours and increased store size, in a 2008 report, Waitrose announced that 100 percent of its electricity now comes from renewable sources. One Waitrose store receives power from two local tomato suppliers: the farms’ combined heat and power units produce heat for their greenhouses and electricity, which is then purchased by Waitrose. As part of Waitrose's aim to reduce the carbon emissions of its vehicles—one of its biggest concerns—it is investigating many alternative, lower-carbon fuels. In a recent trial, five of its trucks were fueled by rapeseed oil, which has both a cleaner production process and a 20 percent lower carbon footprint than biodiesel. Wait-rose is a signatory to the Courtauld Commitment, a UK-based voluntary agreement between grocery retailers, suppliers, manufacturers, and brand owners that encourages less packaging and food waste, and has achieved the first Courtauld target of zero packaging growth, despite increased sales.

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