Marks & Spencer has accelerated its pace towards net zero by rolling out a fleet of trucks powered by biomethane, a gas produced from waste such as food, animal manure and wastewater.
The retailer expects biomethane-powered vehicles to help reduce emissions by 85% compared to diesel, while also offering significant cost savings.
Under the scheme, M&S will add 50 new biomethane fueled trucks to support its food supply chain, transport ingredients and produce between warehouses. Another 30 vehicles will be used to distribute company goods and household goods. Once fully operational, around 10% of all M&S transport fleets will emit less air.
This latest move builds on M&S’s commitment to zero across its operations by 2030, and across its wider supply chain by 2040. Last year, the retailer invested £1m in reducing harmful emissions from dairy cows by changing their diets, cutting greenhouse gases. with an estimated 11,000 tons.
UK businesses are facing increasing pressure from the government and opposition parties to step up environmental efforts. Labor has vowed to restore a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, while ministers are considering a new tax on shops and manufacturers that use plastic bags instead of paper or cardboard.
Transport minister Lilian Greenwood welcomed the move by M&S, calling it an example of how British companies “can lead to new zero-emission vehicles. Julian Bailey, head of group logistics at M&S, emphasized the retailer’s focus on reducing carbon, saving energy and improving overall efficiency as it embraces more green technology.
