Global greenhouse gas emissions are at their highest level in at least the last 800,000 years, yet grocery is also being pushed to overhaul refrigeration, packaging, and food waste faster than ever. From EU policies that aim for all packaging to be recyclable by 2030 to the fact that 36% of supply chain food waste happens at retail in the U.S., the data reveals a clear tension between what grocery currently does and what it must do next.
Key Takeaways
- In the European Union, the share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption was 22.1% in 2019, providing context for the energy transition affecting grocery refrigeration and distribution.
- The global compostable plastics market is forecast to reach $8.7 billion by 2032 (forecast, estimate).
- The EU Farm to Fork strategy also targets cutting fertilizer use by 20% and pesticide use by 50% by 2030 compared with 2020 levels.
- The EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) proposal sets a target that all packaging be recyclable by 2030.
- The EU requires large companies to report climate-related information under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), starting for financial years beginning in 2024 for many companies.
- In the U.S., 36% of all food wasted by the supply chain occurs at retail (including grocery), according to EPA’s food waste characterization.
- In the EU, packaging waste was 173.6 kg per person in 2022, informing grocery packaging sustainability and recycling performance.
- The U.S. EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy states source reduction first, followed by feeding hungry people, then feeding animals, industrial uses, and landfilling last—guiding grocery waste programs.
- IPCC AR6 reports that global greenhouse-gas emissions are higher than at any time in at least the last 800,000 years, providing the emissions context for grocery decarbonization goals.
- IKEA’s Better Homes, Better Planet strategy targets a 2030 climate footprint reduction, demonstrating grocery retail supply chain direction (quantified goal in report).
- Methane has 28–36 times the global warming potential of CO2 over 100 years (depending on the assessment), influencing the emissions urgency of diverting food waste from landfills.
- Kantar reports that 67% of consumers are willing to change their buying habits to reduce environmental impact, supporting demand-side adoption of greener grocery products.
- In the EU, the Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products framework supports energy efficiency improvements across appliances and equipment used in grocery stores and distribution.
- IEA estimates that improving energy efficiency can deliver about 40% of the emissions reductions needed by 2030 to meet climate goals (energy efficiency leverage relevant to grocery).
- The U.S. material recovery rate for plastics packaging was 8.7% in 2022 (recycling rate).
Grocery sustainability is accelerating with renewable energy, stricter EU reporting and packaging rules, and huge food waste and emissions challenges.
Related reading
01 · Category
Market Size2 stats
01
In the European Union, the share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption was 22.1% in 2019, providing context for the energy transition affecting grocery refrigeration and distribution.
02
The global compostable plastics market is forecast to reach $8.7 billion by 2032 (forecast, estimate).
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
For a market size lens on sustainability in grocery, the rise in EU renewable energy to 22.1% of gross final energy consumption in 2019 underscores the growing energy transition that supports greener logistics and refrigeration, while the global compostable plastics market is projected to climb to $8.7 billion by 2032.
02 · Category
Policy & Regulation7 stats
01
The EU Farm to Fork strategy also targets cutting fertilizer use by 20% and pesticide use by 50% by 2030 compared with 2020 levels.
02
The EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) proposal sets a target that all packaging be recyclable by 2030.
03
The EU requires large companies to report climate-related information under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), starting for financial years beginning in 2024 for many companies.
04
The CSRD standard applies for financial years starting 2024 for companies already under the NFRD, with phased expansion to others in subsequent years.
05
The EU’s RED II and related requirements drive renewable energy and emissions reductions in energy-intensive cold chain operations that grocery relies on.
06
EU F-gas Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 2024/573) reduces HFC supply and increases phase-down targets to cut emissions from refrigeration used in grocery.
07
In 2023, the EU’s HFC phase-down trajectory targets a 95% reduction by 2036 from the 2008–2014 baseline, affecting refrigeration emissions in grocery.
Interpretation
Policy & Regulation Interpretation
Under the Policy and Regulation push, EU rules are tightening environmental limits across the grocery value chain with concrete targets like a 50% pesticide cut by 2030, packaging being fully recyclable by 2030, and a refrigeration-focused HFC phase down aimed at a 95% reduction by 2036.
03 · Category
Waste & Waste Reduction3 stats
01
In the U.S., 36% of all food wasted by the supply chain occurs at retail (including grocery), according to EPA’s food waste characterization.
02
In the EU, packaging waste was 173.6 kg per person in 2022, informing grocery packaging sustainability and recycling performance.
03
The U.S. EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy states source reduction first, followed by feeding hungry people, then feeding animals, industrial uses, and landfilling last—guiding grocery waste programs.
Interpretation
Waste & Waste Reduction Interpretation
In the Waste and Waste Reduction category, the biggest opportunity is cutting grocery waste at retail since the U.S. supply chain loses 36% of all food at that stage, while stronger recycling and packaging performance also matter as shown by EU packaging waste of 173.6 kg per person in 2022.
04 · Category
Climate & Emissions3 stats
01
IPCC AR6 reports that global greenhouse-gas emissions are higher than at any time in at least the last 800,000 years, providing the emissions context for grocery decarbonization goals.
02
IKEA’s Better Homes, Better Planet strategy targets a 2030 climate footprint reduction, demonstrating grocery retail supply chain direction (quantified goal in report).
03
Methane has 28–36 times the global warming potential of CO2 over 100 years (depending on the assessment), influencing the emissions urgency of diverting food waste from landfills.
Interpretation
Climate & Emissions Interpretation
For the Climate and Emissions category, the urgency is clear because global greenhouse gas emissions are the highest in at least the last 800,000 years and methane is 28 to 36 times more potent than CO2 over 100 years, making rapid decarbonization and food waste diversion key goals.
More related reading
05 · Category
Consumer Adoption1 stats
01
Kantar reports that 67% of consumers are willing to change their buying habits to reduce environmental impact, supporting demand-side adoption of greener grocery products.
Interpretation
Consumer Adoption Interpretation
With 67% of consumers saying they are willing to change their buying habits to cut environmental impact, consumer adoption of greener grocery products looks firmly driven by willingness to act.
06 · Category
Energy & Efficiency2 stats
01
In the EU, the Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products framework supports energy efficiency improvements across appliances and equipment used in grocery stores and distribution.
02
IEA estimates that improving energy efficiency can deliver about 40% of the emissions reductions needed by 2030 to meet climate goals (energy efficiency leverage relevant to grocery).
Interpretation
Energy & Efficiency Interpretation
For the Energy and Efficiency category, the EU’s ecodesign framework is enabling efficiency gains across grocery store and distribution equipment while IEA estimates that better energy efficiency could account for about 40% of the emissions reductions needed by 2030 to hit climate targets.
07 · Category
Performance Metrics2 stats
01
The U.S. material recovery rate for plastics packaging was 8.7% in 2022 (recycling rate).
02
Globally, only 9% of plastic waste is recycled (share, estimate).
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
In the performance metrics for grocery sustainability, the gap is stark as only 8.7% of U.S. plastics packaging was recycled in 2022 and globally just 9% of plastic waste gets recycled, showing recycling outcomes are still far from solving the plastic waste problem.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Rachel Svensson. (2026, February 13). Sustainability In The Grocery Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-grocery-industry-statistics
MLA
Rachel Svensson. "Sustainability In The Grocery Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-grocery-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Rachel Svensson. 2026. "Sustainability In The Grocery Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-grocery-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
20 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+10 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)