Carrefour Belgium and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) have signed their Sustainable Linked Business Plan.
The plan foresees a significant reduction in their carbon footprint and the promotion of sustainable packaging by 2030.
This agreement, part of Carrefour’s Act For Food programme, solidifies the companies’ long-standing partnership by embedding climate action into their commercial relationship.
Since 2023, Carrefour has been actively pushing its top 100 suppliers to align with a 1.5-degree global-warming target, aiming to reduce indirect emissions by 29% by 2030, compared to 2019 levels.
This new plan with CCEP further commits to these objectives by targeting shared emissions reductions.
Sustainable Packaging Priorities
The collaboration will focus on several key areas for sustainable packaging by 2030.
This includes a policy for lighter returnable glass bottles, wherein CCEP will introduce a new, lighter, one-litre returnable glass bottle in Belgium this year, reducing its carbon footprint during production and transport.
Both partners will promote reuse by encouraging consumers to use returnable glass bottles, testing new packaging formats – such as a cardboard six-pack for small bottles – to make reusable options more visible.
CCEP plans to progressively increase the proportion of recycled materials/content in its aluminium cans and the return bins for glass bottles starting in 2027, aiming for a significant reduction in its carbon footprint.
Existing Sustainability Strategies
These initiatives align with both companies’ existing sustainability strategies.
Carrefour’s Act for Food programme had already ensured that 98% of its own-brand packaging was recyclable by 2023.
CCEP’s This is Forward plan emphasises a sustainable value chain, with nearly 85% of Coca-Cola products consumed in Belgium being locally manufactured.
The returnable glass bottle system in Belgium boasts a 100% local cycle, with each bottle being reusable up to 25 times.