We have a comprehensive energy efficiency programme, which also includes identifying renewable sources of energy to power our stores and depots.

In existing stores we are on target to reduce our energy consumption by 20% by 2012 (compared to measurements taken in 2005). This has been achieved through a programme of innovations and upgrades, such as motion-triggered lighting and state–of–the–art boiler systems.

We are also committed to ensuring that all of the new stores we build use 30% less energy and greenhouse gases by the end of 2009, through the use of new building techniques and materials — for example, the increased use of natural lighting and natural ventilation systems instead of air conditioning.

Our main goal is for our entire estate of stores and depots to be supplied by 100% renewable energy. At the moment we are seeking planning permission to build wind turbines at six of our distribution centres around the UK. We are also testing the benefits of combined heat and power systems at two stores in Northern Ireland.

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At Asda we’re dedicated to bringing our customers fish from a sustainable source, and to securing a future for our oceans.

In order to meet our target of selling only 100% sustainably sourced fish, we have taken threatened species — such as North Sea Cod — off our fresh fish counters, and replaced them with more sustainable options.

And to help our customers make an informed choice all of our fresh fish comes with information on where and when it was caught and how it was stored. In fact all Asda fish counters have successfully completed the Marine Stewardship Council’s ‘chain of custody’ audit, and we’re concentrating on helping our suppliers achieve MSC approval for their fisheries.

What’s more, we’re lobbying national and international governments to support and improve policies which protect marine habitats. This is not something new for Asda. Back in 2006 we called for the North Sea to be declared a marine conservation zone to preserve fish stocks and protect the livelihoods of the local fishermen who depend on it.

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When it comes to carrier bags, we’re trying to change the habit of a lifetime — but not at our customers’ expense.

We’re trying to incentivise customers to use our bags for life. In May 2009 we were delighted to beat Government targets to reduce the number of ‘single trip’ carrier bags handed out by half. In fact we managed to reduce the number of bags by 53% over a three-year period, but it’s still a tough challenge to ensure we keep helping customers change their habits.

We’re doing this in a number of different ways: by giving away our re-usable ‘bags for life’; by removing single-use bags from all our checkouts and putting our checkout operators in control of handing them out; and by reminding customers each time they visit not to forget their bags for life. The biggest reason people use single trip bags is because they’ve forgotten to bring bags with them – or they’ve left them in the boot of the car.

As well as reducing usage, we also want to limit the environmental impact of the bags themselves by decreasing their size and increasing their recycled content – we actually source the plastic material we use from our in–store recycling collections.

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We aim to bring our customers products grown or manufactured using the most sustainable methods available.

For this reason, we are an active member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) – an association created to promote the production and use of sustainable palm oil, and to directly help protect endangered species like the orangutan and Sumatran tiger.

In 2007 we briefed our supply base on a bold commitment – that from 2009 ASDA would not accept palm oil from Borneo or Sumatra in private label products to help protect the habitat of orangutans, as well as force the debate forwards on sustainable palm oil.

In May 2008 we were one of the first signatories of the Unilever WWF coalition on sustainable palm oil – and we have publicly signed up to the Palm Oil Coalition target, so by 2015 all of our palm oil will be from RSPO sustainable sources.

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