Why It Matters
We are committed to reducing our environmental impacts to ensure we are using resources sustainably and reducing waste, including in packaging. These efforts protect the communities where our teammates, customers and partners live and work. They also contribute to our progress in reducing climate-related impacts in our supply chain.
Fiscal 2025 Performance Highlight
$16 million donated in partnership with Earth Day Canada to support environmental initiatives since 2008.
Our Approach
Guided by Policies and Targets Our Environmental Policy reinforces our commitment to environmental stewardship and underscores our dedication to safeguarding the environment. The policy, aligned with the ISO 14001:2015 standard, recognizes global environmental challenges and their relevance to our business, as well as the imperative to act. It addresses key impact areas defined by our materiality assessment and includes climate change, energy management, food waste, plastics and packaging, and ethical and sustainable sourcing.
We aim to comply with all applicable environmental laws and regulations and to demonstrate due diligence in the protection of the environment. Given the national reach of our operations, we keep up to date with all new, emerging and existing environmental regulations across all three levels of government in Canada.
Our approach to plastics and packaging is aligned with the Government of Canada’s Action Plan on Zero Plastic Waste. We support the government’s mandate to reduce plastic waste and enhance reuse and value recovery, and we remain committed to eliminating banned plastic items. We also work closely to advance provincial and municipal waste goals. We are committed to eliminating plastic and packaging waste in our Own Brands and operations, to advancing circularity and to driving technological, organizational and social innovation across our value chain.
Advancing Our Commitment to Reducing Plastic Waste
In fiscal 2025, we continued to make progress on a multi-year plastics reduction strategy focused on:
Improving reuse:
Leading on circularity to make it easier for our customers to shop plastic-waste-free in stores and through Voilà (e-commerce)
Reducing plastic waste:
Advancing packaging improvements for our Own Brands and in-store packaging to make it easier for our customers to buy plastic-waste-free products
Improving value recovery:
Supporting Canadian innovation in plastic reduction through partnerships with industry, suppliers and processors to make it easier to live plastic-waste-free
Working With Suppliers and Partners
As part of our commitment to sustainable packaging solutions, we joined the Canada Plastics Pact (CPP), an initiative bringing together business, government and organizations to drive a circular economy for plastics in Canada. Through this partnership, we work alongside industry leaders to accelerate packaging innovation, improve recyclability and reduce plastic waste in our supply chain.
As a member of the Retail Council of Canada, we participate in industry committees related to plastics and packaging, including the EPR Stewardship Committee and the Plastic Committee. We collaborate with the Circular Innovation Council, and we participate in numerous industry working groups where we regularly connect on best practices for packaging circularity in retail. We also work with supplier partners to address plastics and packaging across all product categories.
Our waste management approach ensures we work collaboratively with external partners to reduce waste and manage it responsibly. We participate in several industry-wide working committees, including the Retail Council of Canada’s Working Committees on Extended Producer Responsibility/Stewardship and Plastics and other working groups. We continue to work with Earth Day Canada/Jour de la Terre on strategic waste-management-related projects in Quebec.
Looking Ahead to Support Nature & Biodiversity
We aim to keep making progress on our Climate Action Plan by exploring more nature-based solutions. Informed by the guidance of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), we aim to assess our nature and biodiversity risks and opportunities to guide our planning. Opportunities may include collaborating with suppliers to adopt regenerative agriculture practices to improve soil health, increase biodiversity and enhance natural resources, while building more resilient food systems.
Highlights
Building on a Comprehensive Review
In fiscal 2025, we completed a comprehensive audit of in-store packaging, providing insights into packaging materials, recyclability and reduction opportunities for more than 2,900 items. We also commenced a review of all Own Brands packaging, which is expected to be completed in early fiscal 2026. This work will establish strategic objectives to increase packaging circularity, ensure regulatory compliance—including Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements—and drive innovation.
Innovative Pilots Focus on Reusable Containers
We partnered with Friendlier in stores across South-Western Ontario to offer customers a reusable container for the hot and cold salad bar. Since launching this pilot, we have achieved an average 13% conversion rate from single use plastic to reusable containers across participating stores.
Additionally, two of our Farm Boy Ottawa stores took part in a pilot project to reduce single-use plastics in hot bar and salad bar by offering reusable containers. The pilot is a unique collaboration between the Circular Innovation Council, Environment and Climate Change Canada, the City of Ottawa and other retail partners. We continue to explore opportunities with various partners to find solutions to reduce plastic waste.
Compostable Meat Tray Initiative
As part of our commitment to reducing plastic waste, in partnership with Eco-Guardian we explored the feasibility of compostable meat trays as an alternative to polystyrene packaging. The pilot provided valuable learnings regarding the need for further design improvements to solve for the complexities and nuance posed by fresh meat products. In addition, current limitations around recycling and composting infrastructure across Canada hinder the use of compostable meat trays at scale. Compostable packaging remains an area of interest for us as we continue to search for solutions that are environmentally responsible while meeting customer needs.
Increasing Recycled Content in Floral Packaging
We are enhancing sustainability and the flow of materials through a circular economy in our floral packaging by transitioning to a bouquet sleeve that incorporates 90% post-consumer recycled (PCR). Currently on offer in Ontario and the Atlantic provinces, this new sleeve reduces plastic and the use of virgin materials while maintaining quality and freshness. We will explore opportunities to expand this floral packaging in other provinces.
Expanding Bulk Windshield Washer Availability
Since 2023, we have installed 25 bulk windshield washer fluid stations in Quebec. This partnership with EcoTank has eliminated the equivalent of approximately 40,000 3.75-litre plastic jugs.
Building Green Champions
The Green Champions sustainability training and engagement program provides opportunities for teammates across our business to build their knowledge about sustainability, explore ways to protect the environment and learn how to influence and drive change in their stores and business areas. In 2024 we had participants from nine different office locations representing more than 20 different areas of the Company. The online training program includes modules on circular economy, food waste, plastics and packaging, and climate action.
Leader in Battery Recycling
In 2023, Longo’s became the first grocery chain in Ontario to offer a battery collection and recycling program in partnership with Call2Recycle. In 2024, over 7,000 kilograms of batteries were collected from customers. Since the program launched, we have collected 8,876 kilograms of used batteries in our stores. Longo’s again received Call2Recycle’s Leader in Sustainability Award for 2024.
Action/Reduction Impacts in Quebec
More than 200 of our Quebec stores are now participating in Earth Day Canada’s Action/Reduction waste management program, which aims to give a second life to cardboard, food waste and other store waste. Store teams receive customized training, support and tools to implement leading residual waste management approaches.
Champions
We continuously explore ways to combine ethical and environmental responsibility with the beauty of floral. This involves working together with our suppliers to improve the distribution chain from seed to sale, ensuring fair working conditions and developing smart, circular packaging solutions. We have learned that sustainable packaging should never compromise the quality, appearance or perceived value of a premium product.”
Lee Fanning, Category Manager – Floral, Sobeys Inc.
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Our commitment to environmental management includes our work to take climate action, reduce waste from packaging and food, and use energy responsibly.
As a family nurturing families, we want to ensure Canadians are taken care of today, tomorrow, and in the future. By doing OurPart™ for the environment, we hope to inspire our customers to do theirs. Every step we take together—big or small—can make a difference.
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