Metro adds sustainability policy

Montreal-based Metro, a food and pharmacy business that does business in Québec and Ontario, announced the adoption of a sustainable Packaging and Printed Materials Management Policy.

According to the company, the new policy focuses on its teams and suppliers to gain efficiency, reduction and optimization. The program will enable the company to implement practices to reduce the use of resources, limit product losses and reduce waste generation, while contributing to the global movement to tackle single-use plastics.

“This new policy is the result of rigorous teamwork and is part of our approach to continuously improve our practices,” said Eric La Flèche, president and CEO of Metro. “We know that there is growing interest in packaging — and plastic in particular — among many groups, including our customers. We are confident that the measures we are putting forward will responsibly and effectively address these challenges.”

Rooted in two established concepts, life cycle approach and circular economy, the policy is based on the following four principles:

• Reduce the use of packaging and printed materials.
• Implement optimal design.
• Select eco-responsible materials.
• Facilitate recovery and recycling.

According to the company, in addition to implementing the policy’s principles, it is committed to taking action in other areas, including:

• Reducing the number of single-use plastic shopping bags by 50% in Metro’s food and pharmacy banners by the end of fiscal year 2023.
• Reducing overpackaging and single-use plastics in food stores’ fresh sections.
• Reducing the total weight of paper used in the flyers for Metro’s food and pharmacy banners by 10% by the end of fiscal year 2022.
• For its private brand food packaging, by the end of fiscal year 2025, ensuring that 100% of the packaging is entirely recyclable or compostable (fibers only) and that 100% of the packaging includes sorting instructions. Metro also aims to increase the proportion of postconsumer materials to 45%.
• Eliminating single-use plastic water bottles used by employees in Metro’s administrative offices and distribution centers by the end of fiscal year 2019.