Environmental credentials
Environmental Credentials
At Chelmsford Star we are committed to helping our environment, here’s just some of the action we have taken so far…
Our Products:
- Co-op led the way by replacing plastic stems on cotton buds with paper (14 years ago)
- Removed plastic microbeads from our home and beauty products nearly a decade ago
- 80% of all food packaging was recyclable by 2020, with a longer-term aim to be 100%
- First to trial first fully compostable teabags for iconic 99 tea bags (breaks down completely in food waste collections)
- Our bottled water is now made from 50% recycled plastic and will be 100% recyclable
Our Society:
- We have achieved a reduction in energy consumption by over 25% in the last five years. (March 2021) This has been achieved through colleague engagement and investment in technologies, such as LED lighting, which is now installed in all food stores across the estate.
- Food nearing expiration is distributed via the Too Good To Go initiative
- 99% of our rubbish is recycled
- Encouraging clothes recycling (in conjunction with salvation army) at 6 locations
- Carrier bags are biodegradable and made from recycled materials such as drinks bottles
- From 1st January 2021, the Society moved our energy supplier to a green tariff. Electricity is generated from REGO backed renewable sources, with power used in our stores coming from five onshore wind projects that the Co-operative Group helped to develop, which combined provides approximately 15% of our energy per annum. The remaining volumes are derived from Scottish Power’s Whitelee wind farm near Glasgow.
- In 2021, the Society made further commitments relating to managing and mitigating our carbon footprint.
- In 2021, the Society switched to compostable bags in our food stores, replacing the current bag for life vest carrier.