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Top 20 global food retailers fail to report on methane emissions

The world’s biggest food retailers are failing to tackle methane emissions in their supply chains, according to an analysis.

Global advocacy organisation Mighty Earth and NGO partner Changing Markets Foundation have published a Methane Action Tracker. In the tracker and its accompanying report, they reveal that of the top 20 global food retailers, not one reports on their methane emissions or has specific methane reduction targets.

The two organisations analysed methane reductions in meat and dairy production, which comprise an estimated one-third of total emissions from these global food retailers. The 20 retailers analysed include household names like Ahold Delhaize, Carrefour, Lidl, Tesco, and Walmart.

In ranking and scoring retailers’ methane emissions reductions, they found that 19 of the 20 retailers secured fewer than 50% of the total points available for their methane-related sustainable activities.

Measuring methane as a contributor to climate change

Changing Markets Foundation and Mighty Earth chose to investigate methane as a specific metric after witnessing the negative effects of the potent greenhouse gas (GHG) on climate change.

“Methane has a warming effect 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide over 20 years, so it presents a major climate threat – but we have a critical opportunity to take urgent action and cut methane emissions now, to reduce further climate breakdown,” Maddy Haughton-Boakes, senior campaigner at Changing Markets Foundation, told Ingredients Network.

Methane plays a significant role in the relationship between climate change and sustainable actions. According to Changing Markets Foundation, research shows that meat and dairy production, which accounts for approximately one-third of supermarkets’ climate footprints, is the largest contributor to global methane emissions.

The findings prompted the report authors to demand more urgency in lowering the retail sector’s methane emissions, which are connected to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) recommendations.

The United Nations Environment Programme’s Global Methane Assessment states that to restrict the globe’s temperature rise to 1.5°C, methane emissions must decrease by 40-45% by 2030.

“Food retailers have a moral obligation to commit to reducing their methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030, in line with the Global Methane Pledge, which was launched in 2021,” Haughton-Boakes said.

What does missing methane reporting mean?

The absence of methane emissions reporting and reduction targets in global retailers’ sustainability reports throws consumer trust and confidence in these businesses into question.

“There is no excuse for retailers’ lack of transparency in reporting on methane, especially when we know that some of them will be privately measuring their methane emissions,” said Haughton-Boakes.

“By choosing not to disclose this information, retailers likely recognise that it is much more difficult to hold them accountable and scrutinise their current climate strategies according to the reductions they need to make,” she added.

Changing Markets Foundation and Mighty Earth have yet to hear from the 20 retailers concerning why methane reporting is missing from their sustainability communications.

“We have not received any concrete reasons why retailers aren’t reporting on or have a methane reduction target – in fact, only a small handful of retailers have directly engaged. We welcome open dialogue on this issue with these companies,” Haughton-Boakes added.

How can food retailers respond?

“Retailers can no longer afford to ignore their role in driving methane emissions,” said Haughton-Boakes.

"In order to rapidly cut emissions at the scale that is needed, retailers must address overproduction and consumption of meat and dairy and invest in plant-based alternatives, as well as commit to transparent reporting on methane,” she added.

Changing Markets and Mighty Earth are urging retailers to set a target that will see them lower their methane emissions by a minimum of 30% by 2030. They are also calling on companies to report on these methane emissions annually.

As part of these reporting recommendations, the two organisations advise global food retailers to urgently develop climate plans to lower methane from meat and dairy sources. Additionally, they want to see companies implement greater public transparency in climate reporting and communicate their methane emissions. Next, they advise retailers to set an ambitious absolute methane reduction target.

Plant-based nutrition and formulation development is also a key part of the organisations’ advice for companies’ methane-related sustainability actions. Changing Markets and Mighty Earth urge retailers to increase their company ambitions for plant-based sales with a 60/40 split between plant-based nutrition and meat protein sources.