Retail & Wholesale underline need for cooperation with all to make a success of EU Green Deal

Speaking today on behalf of European retailers and wholesalers, EuroCommerce Director-General Christian Verschueren supported the Commission strategy set out in its long-awaited European Green initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2050:

“The Green Deal presents a tremendous opportunity for Europe to take on global leadership in creating a sustainable and more competitive economy. Our sector has already acted in a wide range of voluntary initiatives to reduce its impact on the environment. These range from improving the efficiency of its operations in store and across the supply chain, to being a leading actor in enabling recycling and addressing food waste.”

Retailers and wholesalers also work closely with their supply chains to reduce waste and emissions, and in supporting informed and healthy choices by consumers. Our sector has been proactive in introducing natural refrigerants and implementing renewable energy sources in its stores and distribution centres as well as reducing CO2 emissions in its transport fleet. It also works to address deforestation, create better traceability, a wider range of alternative products such as organic, free-from and alternatives to meat.

In EuroCommerce’s view, the European Green Deal should be built upon the existing legislation, recognise the value of voluntary initiatives, and:

• Enable diversity of action: the retail and wholesale sector needs to respond to a wide variety of consumer demand, and policies under the Green Deal must reflect that diversity of choices made by consumers every day;
• Ensure consistency in national and EU legislation: new and previous regulatory requirements should not contradict or hamper each other’s effectiveness;
• Involve everyone: cooperation among stakeholders, according to the involvement and influence of each actor in the supply chain will be essential to making a success of the Green Deal.