Greening our buildings

We’re cutting energy use in our stores and distribution centres and have a three-year energy reduction plan for each of our banners. Our energy blueprint ensures that energy efficiency is prioritised in the design and fit-out of new stores. We have now installed LED lighting in 91% of our stores (2019/20: 85%), including all stores in France and Poland, and are introducing building management systems to better manage energy demand in the UK, Poland and France.

We also retrofit improvements where we can see opportunities to reduce energy use. On-site renewables are helping us to make further reductions in our footprint. We’ve installed solar PV panels on 24 stores, offices and distribution centres, have biomass boilers supplying two distribution centres and one head office building, and air source heat pump systems at 130 locations. This investment in renewables is generating 7.5 million kWh per year and delivering over ￡1.3 million pa in financial benefit including energy cost reductions each year.