Liquefied natural gas-propelled lorry used by Mercadona

In 2018, Mercadona and its transport suppliers are set to invest a further 4 million euro in clean energies

15 february 2018
  • In their quest to foster sustainable transport and good air quality, the company is set to incorporate 40 natural gas-propelled lorries in Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia.
  • 92% of the fleet of vehicles now meets with the strictest emission standards. 

Mercadona and its transport suppliers will allocate a further 4 million euro in 2018 towards incorporating 40 liquefied natural gas (LNG)-propelled lorries in Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia, which will join the 7 vehicles of these characteristics that have already been operating since 2017, and that came at an investment of 1 million euro. These investments are in line with the commitment both Mercadona and its transport suppliers have towards the environment, the aim being to achieve sustainability in their activities, which will in turn translate into optimising their transport and logistics fleet in order to reduce emissions and improve air quality in cities.

With this in mind, ECO-quality vehicles will gradually be incorporated to the fleet throughout the year; these will operate in urban centres featuring high densities of population and movement, which will contribute towards reducing the risk of exceeding the allowed NOx and suspended particle limits usually in place in this type of city.

This initiative comes in line with the ones already being implemented in vehicles regarding the so-called “last mile” of distribution in cities. To this end, the company already has 3 vans that are adapted to operate on dual fuel (gas/diesel), and in 2018, it foresees using 3 vans that are 100% propelled by CNG (Compressed Natural Gas). Furthermore, testing is currently underway on an electric van, the intention being to study any improvements and possibilities for adaptation to cold environments.

The investments carried out in the last few years have allowed for 92% of the company’s fleet to achieve category C of the DGT (Spanish General Directorate for Transportation), that is to say, vehicles that meet with standards Euro VI and Euro VI C, which are the most stringent in terms of emissions. These engines reduce harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.

In addition to implementing fuels that are less polluting, Mercadona continues to develop its environmental sustainability strategy, optimising the cargo transported in its vehicles in order to maximise each trip, thus reducing the number of journeys, and in turn, the greenhouse effect gas emissions.

A sustainable social action policy that is integrated in Mercadona’s CSR strategy

One of the commitments Mercadona has towards society is that of giving back some of what it receives. With this in mind, it implements the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility Plan, which deals with the social and ethical component through a number of sustainable lines of action that reinforce their commitment towards shared growth. As part of this policy, Mercadona works on the Sustainable Urban Distribution Project, aimed at improving the air quality in our cities by using lorries and vans that are propelled by the cleanest, most efficient fuels, as well as building gardened rooftops and vertical gardens in its stores.

Another strategic line within Mercadona’s Social Responsibility Plan is that of environmental sustainability. To this end, Mercadona has an in-house Environmental Management System that focuses on logistical optimisation, energy efficiency and waste reduction; part of this system is based on the principles of the Circular Economy, which seeks converting waste into new resources in conjunction with the integrated suppliers.

Additionally, Mercadona collaborates with more than 140 soup kitchens and 60 food banks, as well as other charity organisations throughout Spain in the daily donation of food, and it further collaborates in food gathering campaigns. Similarly, it works in conjunction with more than 27 foundations and occupational centres in decorating its stores with the trendadís murals, which are made by more than 1,000 people suffering from intellectual disability.

Since 2009, Mercadona has been a member of the Retailers’ Environmental Action Programme (REAP), an Organisation that is presided by the European Commission and whose participants are periodically and externally audited on the issue of sustainability. Furthermore, since 2011, Mercadona has adhered to the Global Compact in defence of fundamental values in terms of Human Rights, Labour Standards, the Environment and Anti-Corruption.