Asda’s Supplier Sustain & Save Exchange

The Grocer reports that ASDA has “launched a major environmental drive involving more than 70 […] of its suppliers” (The Grocer, 4 February 2012, p.6). In a short post in 2degree’s Supply Chain Group, Asda’s Head of Corporate Sustainability, Julian Walker-Palin, announces Asda’s Supplier Sustain & Save Exchange, explaining that they first focused on their own operations and that they were now ready to work more closely with suppliers on sustainability issues. You can read Julian’s post here (log-in required).

Tesco & Product Footprinting

Last week’s announcement from Tesco to move away from using the Carbon Trusts’ product footprint label for its products (read here) featured prominently in the media.  The Carbon Trust promptly justified why carbon footprinting and labelling (read here). In a response to another article in The Grocer, looking at some of the reasons behind their decision, Tesco clarified that footprinting was still an important aspect of their carbon reduction strategy and that for product carbon labelling to be effective, it needs to be adopted by the other retailers (read the article here).

Changes On-Packaing 'Freeze By' Advice To Help Prevent Food Waste

Sainsbury’s announced that it would be rolling out, from today (Friday, 10 February 2012) new on-pack guidance about freezing food within the ‘best before’ date rather than on the day of purchase. Quoting research from the Waste & Resource Action Programme (Zero Waste Scotland in Scotland) Sainsbury's estimate that this change will help prevent £2 billion worth of food being wasted (more from here).