Agricutural consultant Hayley Campbell-Gibbons cut through the greenwashing at FPJ’s event on 8 June, while NFU energy director John Swain advised companies on how to navigate the current volatility in energy prices

John Swain of NFU Energy advised delegates on how to cut their energy costs and carbon emissions

John Swain of NFU Energy advised delegates on how to cut their energy costs and carbon emissions

The road to Net Zero is paved with good intentions, but retailers’ claims are not always what they seem.

This was the message from sustainability consultant and former NFU chief horticultural adviser, Hayley Campbell-Gibbons, who was on hand at Festival of Fresh on 8 June to cut through the greenwashing. Top of the class are Co-op, M&S and Lidl GB, but there’s room for improvement at Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Waitrose, she said.

The afternoon session in the Festival of Fresh Innovation Tent kicked off with top tips from NFU energy director John Swain on how to navigate the current volatility in energy prices. First up, he advised companies to carry out a energy audit to identify potential savings. And renewables have also moved up the agenda since the huge hike in energy prices means payback on renewables projects has never been lower.

Meanwhile, Marion Regan of Hugh Lowe Farms told delegates that decarbonising would help save the pennies as well as the planet. To help it tackle rising costs and ensure its berries are good value for money, the company has set itself science-based goals and committed to them with verifiable targets.

 

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