Food Lion Recognized For Sustainability Efforts
Food Lion has received recognition for its on-going sustainability efforts and is the recipient of the Energy Star Partner of the Year Award for the 23rd consecutive year.
Honored for its work by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, the Energy Star program annually recognizes organizations for leadership and advocacy of energy preservation to promote a cleaner future. Award recipients range from Fortune 500 companies to school districts.
“We created our commitment to sustainability around immense care for the towns and cities we serve and an energy-efficient future,” said Matt Yates, vice president, Brand Strategy, Food Lion. “By including the disciplines embedded in our DNA to turn the lights off when leaving a room and making sure freezer doors close completely not only establish good business practices, but also a solid framework to deepen our commitment to sustainability.”
In 2023, Food Lion converted overhead lighting from fluorescent to LED in 224 stores. Now, 95% of Food Lion’s 1,108 stores have more sustainable lighting with upgrades planned in 2024 for the remaining locations. Lighting upgrades at the retailer began in 2015 and have saved more than 892 million kilowatt-hours.
Additionally, Food Lion’s reduction in energy usage since 2000 is equivalent to the CO2 emissions of 123,114 homes’ electricity use for one year, the equivalent of charging 76.9 billion smartphones or upgrading 23.9 million incandescent lamps to LED, according to the grocer.
Food Lion also increased its allocation of funds for overhead LED lighting installation projects in stores by more than 13% in 2023 compared to the previous year. More than 900 of Food Lion’s 1,108 stores are Energy Star certified, conserving energy and resources by generating fewer gas emissions than typical buildings.
From a broader sustainability standpoint, the retailer is also reducing its carbon emissions footprint through rigorous recycling and food waste efforts. Over the past year, Food Lion recycled more than 8,000 tons of plastic materials, while approximately 19,000 tons of food waste was diverted through methods including animal feed, anaerobic digestion and compost recycling.
