Tesco pledges to use 100 percent renewable electricity by 2030

Supermarket giant Tesco has pledged to use 100 percent renewable electricity in its stores and distribution centers by 2030 to help combat climate change.

At the moment emissions from the retailer's stores and distribution centers (DCs) account for more than 85 percent of its direct carbon footprint. In order to achieve its new sustainable targets set to help fight against climate change and reduce its impact on the environment, Tesco has committed to 100 percent renewable energy by 2030.

The commitment comes ten years after Tesco made its first climate change goals, which included becoming a zero-carbon business by 2050. Since then the retailer has reduced its emissions by 41 percent per square foot and is on track to halve its total emissions from its stores and DCs by 2020. However, the retailer acknowledges that its 50 percent 'relative' reduction target, which translates into a 10 percent 'absolute' reduction by 2020 is not sufficient to reach its 2050 goal and has therefore taken on stricter targets.

Following the Paris Climate Agreement, Tesco worked with climate experts to set a number of new targets to reach its zero-carbon goal, which sees the retailer reduce its total carbon emissions by 35 percent by 2020 and by 60 percent by 2025. In order to help the retailer achieve its tougher targets, Tesco aims to source 65 percent of all its electricity from renewable sources by 2025 and 100 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

Tesco is not the first retailer to set strict goals to reduce its carbon footprint - Swedish fashion giant H&M Group recently became the first international retailer to join EP100, the collaborative initiative led by The Climate Group, to save energy while increasing its economic output.