Marks & Spencer (M&S) UK has announced that it aims to achieve its Net Zero by 2040 goals, funded through its Plan A Accelerator Fund.
M&S aims to remove 11,000t of greenhouse emissions and to cut carbon by 8.4%.
This includes a £1 million investment in a change to the diet of the pasture-grazed cows to help reduce the amount of methane produced in a cow’s stomach and released into the atmosphere.
M&S stated that this will not compromise the taste or quality of the milk and they will stay committed to paying the farmers a fair price for the milk they produce.
M&S also launched its “Pathway Farming” partnership with beef farmers to identify opportunities to reduce carbon emissions from beef rearing, or more efficient use of fertiliser.
One of the first projects supported by the fund asked customers to donate their unwearable clothes to Oxfam, alongside wearable clothing.
These items will be cleaned and used to support fibre to fibre recycling, where fibres are re-used and turned into new material, preventing them from going to landfill.
As well, a new trial will use AI data to predict a store’s optimal heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) controls to reduce energy consumption.
This is being trailed across six stores. The aim is to reduce HVAC costs by up to 30% and to save 2,000t of carbon annually.
M&S said that further projects will be announced in the coming months, but some of the initiatives will look at:
- Energy: Using wind/solar power generated on farms to replace fossil fuels, and pasteurisation using heat pumps and renewable electricity;
- Recycling: Polytag technology on food products to better understand how much, when and where our branded single-use plastic is recycled in UK recycling centres;
- Technology: Agricultural technology to produce a field of Net Zero root crops, and using low carbon fertilisers, biological controls and autonomous farm vehicles and drones;
- Water: Innovative solutions to water in irrigation systems to conserve water resources in the production of fruits and brassicas in water scarce regions.
The retailer also invested in a new green fertiliser available to all its M&S Dairy Farms and a collaboration with a British supplier to bring a new paper fibre cup and lid to all its M&S Cafés which can be easily recycled.