South Africa’s largest retailer in massive energy shift

The Shoprite Group says it will invest a further R3.5 billion in projects to reduce its environmental footprint, following the finalisation of sustainability-linked loans.
These investments will be used to expand key initiatives that form part of its sustainability strategy, including growing its renewable energy, recycling, sustainable packaging and energy efficiency programmes.
It includes a R2 billion loan from Standard Bank, an R800 million sustainability-linked loan and a R700 million green loan from RMB for investment in environmental projects.
A further sustainability-linked loan is in the pipeline, it said in a statement on Monday (22 August).
The loans will be used to expand the group’s investment in:
- Renewable energy and the increase of energy from renewable sources as a percentage of total electricity consumption;
- Recycling cardboard and plastic;
- Sustainable packaging, including reusable, recyclable and compostable packaging, containing recycled material; and
- Energy efficiency, including LED lighting, and a monitoring system for refrigeration to reduce energy consumption and waste.
Shoprite said that the investments will enable the group to expand on the substantial investments it has already made. In the previous financial year, it:
- Reduced carbon emission intensity by 3.3% and water use intensity by 7.5%;
- Increased the installed capacity of its solar photovoltaic (PV) systems by 82%;
- Reduced electricity consumption by 150 million kWh through its LED lamp replacement project since inception;
- Recycled 46 102tons of cardboard from stores and distribution centres, and diverted 10 241 tons of plastic waste from landfills; and
- Paid R2.2 million in rebates to customers for reusing their Planet bags since inception.
“The loans enable us to continue on the road to reduce our environmental footprint by using more renewable energy and sustainable packaging, and recycling more waste. These environmental programmes are key in our fight against climate change, and we are able to increase the pace and intensity of our actions with these loans,” said Sanjeev Raghubir, group sustainability manager.
“The loans allow us to continue to make a sustainable, positive environmental impact and improve our operational efficiencies, which in turn result in additional ongoing savings that we can pass on to our customers.”
A look at Shoprite’s massive solar plans – which aim to get the company off Eskom’s grid
In July, the group announced changes to its fleet of trucks to cut back on fuel consumption and become more energy efficient while transporting products across the country.
It acquired in excess of 100 new fuel-efficient trucks – the Scania Euro V – which it said will lead to a fuel saving of around 10%, with lower carbon emissions.
It said that it will add to this fleet of fuel-efficient trucks each year, with an additional 140 vehicles expected to be on the roads by the end of 2023.
The group said it will also install solar PV on its trailers to allow the trucks to be switched off while the refrigeration and tailgate lift continues to run on solar power. The Shoprite fleet currently includes 903 trucks and 1,360 trailers, of which 928 are fitted with solar panels, it said.