Carrefour's Recycled Plastic Commitment By 2030

As early as 2015, Carrefour pioneered a de-plastification approach in its stores, starting notably with fruits and vegetables (even before the AGEC law), batteries, light bulbs, and textile products.

All these actions have resulted in savings of more than 20,000 tons of packaging, particularly plastic packaging, and have helped create market standards, now adopted by most other distributors and national brand suppliers. 

integration of recycled plastic in packaging

Remove 15,000 tons of virgin plastic from the packaging of its own-brand products by 2030

While the use of plastic continues to grow strongly, the Group now wants to go further by making three new commitments to reduce plastics, unprecedented in the retail sector. Remove 15,000 tons of virgin plastic from the packaging of its own-brand products by 2030. 

Carrefour has set a target to remove 15,000 tonnes of virgin plastic from own-brand product packaging by 2030, equivalent to a 10% reduction in the quantity of virgin plastic used in its single-use packaging.

This target will be met through consumer-noticeable changes such as deposit schemes for reuse, plastic elimination, and the integration of recycled plastic in packaging. Carrefour will report on this new objective annually, incorporating it into the performance criteria of the CSR Index. 

Reduce plastic in 10 key product categories

Implement a strong, measurable, and publicly reported plan to reduce plastic in 10 key product categories where plastic is currently the norm 

Carrefour has selected 10 key product categories in which plastic is still too often the standard: shampoo, toilet paper, dishwasher tablets, laundry detergent, toothbrushes, toilet bowl cleaner, writing supplies, pasta, rice, and chocolate bars. 

implement alternative packaging solutions

The plastic packaging for Carrefour Bio pasta will be replaced with 100% cardboard packaging

To achieve this goal, Carrefour will implement alternative packaging solutions, prioritizing the reduction and elimination of unnecessary packaging, as well as the use of materials, such as paper, cardboard, or recycled plastic. For example, the plastic packaging for Carrefour Bio pasta will be replaced with 100% cardboard packaging.

The Group will also pay particular attention to additives and controversial materials in its choice of alternatives and will specifically study the risks associated with PFAS, styrenics, phthalates, and bisphenols. 

To launch this complete transformation of these product categories, Carrefour has identified 9 pioneering suppliers with whom the retailer is working on the eco-design of new packaging, ensuring that the solution is tailored to each product: L'Oréal, Sofidel, Unilever, Reckitt, Colgate-Palmolive, S.C. Johnson, Barilla, Bic, and Nestlé. 

implementing a deplastification index

To track the progress of its action plan in stores, both in these 10 product categories and more generally across the entire store, Carrefour is implementing a deplastification index for its key product categories. 

This index estimates the progress of this transformation on a scale of 1 to 10. For example, the fruit and vegetable section, for which Carrefour initiated deplastification in 2015 and has removed 5,500 tons of plastic, is rated 8/10. 

Require its key suppliers to establish plastic footprint reduction objectives consistent with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's Global Commitment principles.

Advance deplastification

Carrefour is counting on its Top 100 suppliers to advance deplastification and adopt similar measures

To engage its value chain, Carrefour is counting on its Top 100 suppliers to advance deplastification and adopt similar measures for their product packaging as those implemented by the 9 pioneering manufacturers.

For the remaining plastic, the Group will ask its suppliers to implement the Golden Packaging Rules of eco-design defined by The Consumer Goods Forum. 

Through this commitment, Carrefour joins forces with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in their ambitions. Rob Opsomer, Executive Director, Plastics & Finance, said: “The Ellen MacArthur Foundation's Global Commitment has demonstrated that it is possible to make meaningful progress to tackle plastic waste and pollution, yet more companies need to join in and move further, faster. This is why we warmly welcome Carrefour’s engagement of its supply chain in a virgin plastic reduction strategy aligned with the Global Commitment’s circular economy principles.” 

Overall packaging reduction strategy 

These new commitments are part of the Group's overall strategy to develop the circularity of packaging. In addition to eliminating plastic, Carrefour is also developing reuse solutions through the deployment of bulk and deposit systems.

To date, the retailer has 350 stores equipped with deposit systems and is continuing its rollout in France, as well as in Europe and South America.