Sainsbury's

The company has conducted a TCFD-aligned scenario analysis, including a 2°C scenario, to assess both transition and physical climate risks across its operations and value chain. The analysis includes animal agricultural supply chains—specifically meat, fish, poultry, and dairy—and incorporates promoting meat alternatives as a risk mitigation tool to address the risk of changing consumer preferences.

The company has not yet reported a full breakdown of its Scope 3 emissions derived from animal agriculture, nor a breakdown by protein type.

Sainsbury’s Plc has set a target to reduce its absolute Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions including emissions FLAG (Forest, Land and Agriculture) by 36.4% by fiscal year 2030/31, from 2018/19 base year which has been apporved by the SBTi.

Sainsbury's has reported qualitatively that protein diversification has the ability to reduce the company's emissions, however, the company has not yet reported quantitative information on the emission mitigation potential or the financial opportunity linked to protein diversification.

Sainsbury's has strategically integrated protein diversification as a means to mitigate its climate risk. However, the company does not have a protein diversification target.

Sainsbury's does not have a timebound protein diversification target.

Sainsbury's does not have a protein diversification target that covers its entire food business.

Sainsbury's does not have a protein diversification target aligned to recognised climate and healthy guidelines for a dietary transition.

As of 2024/25 Sainsbury's has reported plant-based equaled 13% of protein food sales and dairy alternatives equaled 7% of dairy sales.

Sainsbury's has reported plant-based sales annually. In 2023/24 plant-based equaled 13% of protein foods and dairy alternatives equaled 7% of dairy sales. In 2022/23 plant-based equaled 14% of protein foods and dairy alternatives equaled 8% of dairy sales

Sainsbury's has not included progress against Scope 3 reductions in its short-term or long-term remuneration package. The company has been transparent that this is due to challenges and a lack of a shared methodology on how to measure Scope 3 emissions.

Seven out of Sainsbury's nine board members have sustainability experience.

There is no evidence that the company's board members have expertise on nutrition/health.

Sainsbury’s has disclosed a list of a number of policy positions that the company is working towards including: healthy and sustainable diets, and Scope 3 reporting. The company has also included a list of its lobbying activities at both a national and global level.

Sainsbury's has disclosed direct lobbying on activities aligned to positive climate outcomes and, where relevant, its position on nutrition outcomes. For example, the company is lobbying on UK Energy Policy, including on mandatory net zero transition plans in the UK, advancing the WWF sustainable basket initiative, and reducing deforestation in supply chains

Sainsbury's has provided a full list of organisation it participates indirect lobbying activities with.

Sainsbury's has disclosed an assessment of alignment of some of its indirect lobbying initiatives with positive climate and where applicable nutrition outcomes, however, the company has not disclosed an assessment of alignment of all the organisations the company participates in.

The company discloses its commitment to ensuring the business's transition to Net Zero is just and equitable for the communities it sources from.

There is no evidence that Sainsbury's is committed to retain, reskill, redeploy, and/or compensate workers affected by its emission reduction efforts.

The company provides evidence of supporting stakeholders’ transition to more sustainable animal protein production practices across in its largest UK market. However, the scale of these projects is unclear. Sainsbury's collaborates closely with suppliers through long-term partnerships, farm-level GHG reduction initiatives, and financial incentives. Key programs include the Sainsbury’s Dairy Development Group Sustainability Matrix, which rewards on-farm emissions reductions, its Taste the Difference Pork program, which works to improve sustainability on farms, and the newly established Egg Group, which promotes carbon reduction, reduced soy feed, and renewable energy use.

Sainsbury's does not have a just transition strategy.

Sainsbury's actively engages its suppliers to understand their exposure to sustainability risks and how their adaptation plans can respond. However, the company does not have a just transition strategy.

Sainsbury's does not have a just transition strategy and therefore does not have public KPI's linked to such a strategy.

Sainsbury's does not have a just transition strategy and therefore does not have public KPI's that are reported annually against such a strategy.

Sainsbury's launched both external and own brand plant-based products in its largest UK market in the past year. These include external brand Juicy Marbles premium vegan steaks, Penguins Bao Buns Ice Ice Bao, Galaxy Dairy Free Honeycomb bars, and Oato oat milk. Additionally, Sainsbury own Taste the Difference brand launched plant-based products for Christmas and Valentine's Day occassions, including Melt in the Middle Nut Roast, No Turkey Stuffed Crown with Sage and Onion Stuffing, Mushroom Wellington, Dinky Dim Sum Veggie Selection, Love Olive & Antipasti Platter, Chunky Triple Cook Chips, There’s Shroom in My Heart Mushroom Wellington and Chocolate Tortes.

There is no evidence that Sainsbury's has allocated resource to improve the performance of alternative protein products in the past year.

Sainsbury's does not have a minimum health and nutrition requirement for its alternative protein source portfolio aligned with a government-endorsed nutrient profiling system.

There is no evidence that Sainsbury's is reformulating alternative protein products to improve nutrition attributes. Although Sainsbury’s reformulates products for enhanced nutrition, such as reducing fat, sugar, and salt content, and launched vitamin D-enhanced mushrooms this year, specific examples of alternative protein products reformulated with improved nutritional attributes are not disclosed.

There is no evidence that Sainsbury's is reformulating alternative protein products to improve sustainability attributes.

There is no evidence that Sainsbury's has committed to marketing and merchandising strategies related to alternative proteins in its largest markets.

Sainsbury's is marketing and merchandising alternative protein products in its largest UK market through Nectar loyalty card price offers and discounts on its website for plant-based products, including external brands Alpro and Quorn.

Sainsbury's is working to ensure its alternative protein source products are accessible and affordable in its largest UK market. The company offers plant-based products at an affordable price through its Aldi Price Match range across 100 plant-based products in 855 convenience stores, multibuy special offers, and by supporting low income families with £3 to spend on plant-based foods in an initiative to encourage increased consumption of pulses. This led to 6% of the proportion of increased protein consumption being associated with pulses.

Sainsbury's has conducted consumer research relating to demand for alternative protein sources, however, there is no evidence of research relating to consumer trends in the sector. The company leverages its Nectar loyalty card data to determine consumer purchasing patterns related to meat and plant-based products.

Sainsbury's has used consumer research relating to healthy diets to inform its marketing and merchandising strategy, however, it is unclear if this includes alternative protein sources. The company collects data on its customers' shopping baskets and compares these to the UK Eatwell health guidelines. The company states that it uses these insights to determine how it can support consumers to shift to healthier diets in line with the Eatwell guidelines. Although, it is unclear if these findings informed the company's marketing of alternative protein sources.