Climate change and its effects remind us that the problem falls on a personal and collective level, where large corporations cannot be alien or act with lukewarm. In Spain, Mercadona reinforces its commitment to sustainability through a clear and structured strategy focused on circular economy and food waste prevention. Within the framework of its environmental management system, which covers waste prevention, the sustainable use of resources and the fight against climate change, the company reveals its annual balance on the specific policies that it has implemented to guide its actions towards a more efficient and responsible management.
In 2024, Mercadona has approved its Corporate sustainability policytogether with other key guidelines such as Circular economy policy. All these measures were adopted with the objective of minimizing the environmental impact of their operations through actions such as waste reduction, material reuse and optimization of resources.
Waste prevention
The company has been working for years in the prevention of food waste, placing this objective as an operational priority. One of the fundamental tools in this area is the modulation of the daily orders of the stores to the logistics blocks, which allows to adjust the supply to the real demand and reduce surpluses. Also, Mercadona collaborates with social entities such as food banks and social dining rooms. Those who are no longer suitable for human consumption are valued in other processes, such as feed for animal feed.
Prevention is also promoted through internal training. The company develops training actions among its workers to improve food management practices and sensitizes its clients, known as “bosses”, through its website and social networks. In addition, he actively participates in sectoral campaigns such as “food has no waste, approve it” and “week against food waste”, both led by Aecoc. In the field of circular economy, Mercadona promotes different strategies adapted to the type of secondary and third -party container waste flow.
For reusable commercial containers, it maintains agreements with logistics and suppliers that allow its use in closed circuits. These containers are washed, hygienized and, when necessary, are repaired before reused, prolonging their useful life and reducing the need for virgin raw materials.
In the case of its own brand domestic containers, the company has incorporated a system of pictograms that informs the consumer about the appropriate container for each type of residue.
This measure facilitates recycling and improves the efficiency of the collection and treatment system.As for their own activity, secondary and tertiary waste (cardboard, plastic and wood) are properly classified and stored in the facilities, and then be collected by authorized managers that transform them into raw materials. It is also attached to the collective expanding responsibility system of the European Recycling Platform (ERP) producer (ERP), which allows the collection and recycling of used batteries.
Design and logistics
Mercadona has promoted the use of trailer trucks and high efficiency vehicles to reduce the number of trips and emissions. It has also reinforced rail transport, with 10,800 charges made in 2024, and has a total of681 stores where urban downloads are madesilent. In product design, the company works with suppliers to ensure that your own brand containers are easier to recycle and contain the least possible amount of non -recyclable materials.
With the strategy that integrates prevention, reuse, training, sustainable logistics and collaboration with entities, Mercadona demonstrates, in its annual balance, the fruits of its long -term commitment to viable advances and oriented to obtaining measurable results.