Green electricity

ICA Sweden offers renewable electricity to all ICA retailers via a central electricity contract. Around 25% of Swedish ICA stores were using renewable electricity via the central contract at the end of 2013. In addition, many ICA stores use renewable energy through their own contracts with electricity suppliers.

A shining example

The stores are continually replacing their lighting with more modern, more energy efficient alternatives. The bulbs not only make the stores brighter, but also reduce energy consumption considerably. Parts of Rimi Baltic’s Lithuanian store network have automated lighting. The savings are expected to amount to 50%, and for the whole store network this may result in an energy saving of 10–15%.

Keeping cool

Stores in Sweden, Norway and the Baltic countries are continually adding lids and doors to refrigerators and freezers in order to reduce energy consumption. This method also helps maintain a more even temperature in the refrigerator and the working environment feels more comfortable as a result.

In Sweden a large number of ICA stores use 100% natural coolants, and this is increasing all the time because it is standard for new stores. In recent years a growing proportion of renovation projects have also included switching to natural coolants.

Testing out solar panels on store roofs

Our largest ICA stores have a big roof area – offering a wealth of possibilities! For a couple of years we have therefore been testing out solar panels on the roof of ICA Maxi in Erikslund, Sweden. We installed 300 m² of solar panels which generate solar energy every day, whether it is sunny or cloudy. The solar panels do not cover all the store’s energy requirements, but act as a complementary energy supply.

The same has been done on the roofs of other stores around Sweden. ICA Kvantum in Sannegården, our most energy-efficient store to date, has 150 m² of solar panels on its roof.

Many ICA stores awarded the Swan eco-label

Many ICA stores in Sweden have been awarded the Swan eco-label, showing that the store takes a holistic approach to green issues. The label certifies that the store meets tough requirements regarding energy efficiency, sorting of waste and other things.

ICA Retailers for the Environment

“ICA Retailers for the Environment” is a concept for how the stores can work on green issues in a structured way. It includes a toolbox of knowledge and practical assistance. The tools are intended to help reduce the stores’ environmental impact and make it easier to comply with environmental legislation in force and to meet ICA’s environmental targets.

Among other things, the stores are given the following advice and practical solutions:

• what range of eco-labelled products they should have
• how to communicate this range to customers
• routines for self-checks under environmental legislation
• environmental arguments for employees to use in their daily work
• energy training so that stores can reduce energy consumption

Once a store has started working on the concept, it gets access to marketing material to use in the store – for example, to make organic and eco-labelled products stand out. The aim is to inform customers of the store’s environmental work, to help customers make choices that are good for the environment and to increase customers’ commitment to and knowledge of green issues.

Always a green option on the shelf

ICA stores will always carry a wide range of eco-labelled products, and in most item categories there will be options that carry an eco-label such as the Swan, Bra miljöval (Good Environmental Choice) or EU eco-label, or the EU organic or KRAV label.

The ICA eco-bag – a slightly greener choice

ICA’s environmentally friendly carrier bag is made of green polythene. The bags are made from sugar cane, and when incinerated emit 85% less fossil carbon dioxide than oil-based bags. The quality is the same. The sugar cane bags are 100% recyclable and replace the previous ICA I love eco bag.

A green focus when building new stores

ICA Real Estate works actively to develop new, innovative, eco-smart solutions for the ICA stores. ICA Kvantum Sannegården in Sweden, which was built in 2010 entirely based on ICA’s guidelines on maximum energy efficiency, serves as a model for all future ICA stores. Energy savings of around 35% have been achieved through a series of simple improvements. For example, lids and doors have been installed on refrigerators and freezers, and both lighting and temperature are controlled according to need. In 2012 ICA Kvantum Sannegården was the first Swedish food retail store to meet the requirements for Green Building certification. Among other things, Green Building certification requires the building to use 25% less energy than before or compared with the new construction requirements.

In Barkarbystaden in Järfälla, ICA Sweden has built a Maxi ICA Hypermarket store and around 13,000 square metres for other tenants. The project is ICA’s most sustainable to date and is aiming for environmental classification by the Sweden Green Building Council. The ICA store works actively to showcase good choices for the environment throughout its product range and has modern solutions for energy consumption and waste disposal. The store opened in May 2014.