Energy & Climate
Saving energy and protecting the environment are very important to Migros, both in production and in retail. In 2014, Migros stepped up its efforts to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions and made its branches even more environmentally friendly.
Migros is aiming to become the number one retailer for climate protection and energy saving. To this end, it strives for two things: on the one hand, it wants to lead by example with comprehensive measures in the area of resource preservation and energy efficiency. On the other hand, it also wants to support its customers in their own efforts to protect the environment. M-Industry and the other Migros companies are also committed to climate protection. This commitment revolves around specific energy- and CO2-reduction targets that will be pursued more intensively over the coming years.
Ambitious 2020 climate & energy strategy
Cooperative Retailing
Migros is aiming to use 10% less power and emit 20% less greenhouse gases than 2010 by 2020.
As part of KES2020, Cooperative Retailing has set itself the ambitious targets of using 10% less power and emitting 20% less greenhouse gases between 2010 and 2020. By reducing greenhouse gases by twice as much as Switzerland as a whole within this period, Migros is making an above-average contribution to the government's energy strategy and Swiss climate protection.
To reach its ambitious targets, Migros is relying in particular on energy-efficient systems, optimised use of equipment, efficient cooling technology with heat recovery, as well as on the Minergie standard. Good progress was made in 2014: Cooperative Retailing has reduced power consumption by 5.0% in absolute terms since 2010. In the same period, greenhouse gas emissions have been cut by as much as 15%. Considerable progress has been made in the branches in particular, due to the use of efficient CO2 cooling systems, glass doors on refrigeration cabinets, and LED lighting.
Restaurants & take-aways
Migros takes energy efficiency seriously in its restaurants and take-aways. Due to the powerful equipment, this is an energy intensive area with lots of potential to reduce power consumption. The implementation of KES 2020 in the restaurants and take-aways relates to three areas in particular: staff behaviour, efficient food and beverage machines, and an efficient infrastructure (cooling, lighting, ventilation and building aspects). In 2014, staff training sessions to optimise energy efficiency were held in all Cooperatives.
Migros Group
The 14 companies of M-Industry pursue climate and energy targets relating to specific reductions per tonne produced. The industrial enterprises are aiming to reduce power consumption by 0.7% a year and heat consumption by 1.8% per tonne produced. CO2 emissions from fuels are to be reduced by 10% in absolute terms between 2010 and 2020.
In 2014, M-Industry is partially in course; while the power consumption increased towards 2013 by 2.5% per tonne produced, the heat consumption was reduced by 2.7% per tonne produced; CO2 emissions from fuel fell by 9% in absolute terms in comparison to 2010. In addition, all M-Industry companies operate an environmental management system and are aiming to become certified according to the international environmental management standard ISO 14001 in the coming years.
Since April 2014, corporate environmental protection has also been a component of the basic requirements that apply to all companies of the Migros Group. These allow all Migros companies to be gradually incorporated into the energy and environmental management. The retailers Globus and Interio pursue individual environmental and energy targets in the areas of logistics, waste and energy. They aim to achieve these targets with measures such as optimised lighting and efficient ventilation and cooling systems. Other Migros companies, such as Denner, Migros Bank and Hotelplan, are expanding their environmental and energy management.
Figures Migros Group
Figures Cooperative Retailing & Industry
Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), absolute
| Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), absolute (in 1000 tonnes CO2 equivalents) 1 |
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | Change from previous year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CO2 combustibles | 103 | 94 | 94 | 93 | 83 | -11.4% |
| CO2 fuels 2 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | -1.9% |
| CO2eq refrigerant losses | 38 | 40 | 40 | 33 | 34 | 0.3% |
| CO2eq electricity 3 | 128 | 128 | 130 | 128 | 126 | -1.6% |
| Total | 298 | 292 | 293 | 284 | 271 | -4.6% |
1 Scope 1 and 2, in accordance with Greenhouse Gas Protocol
2 Own vehicle fleets of the Migros Cooperatives and Saviva
3 In accordance with Swiss consumption mix at 132.9g CO2eq/KWh power
Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) Cooperative Retailing, absolute
| Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) Cooperative Retailing, absolute (in 1000 tonnes CO2 equivalents) 1 |
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | Goal 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CO2eq refrigerant losses | 36 | 36 | 38 | 30 | 29 | 8 |
| CO2 fuels 2 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 31 | 38 |
| CO2 combustibles | 29 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 16 | 16 |
| CO2eq electricity 3 | 85 | 86 | 86 | 84 | 81 | 86 |
| Total | 185 | 180 | 181 | 171 | 157 | 148 |
1 Scope 1 and 2, in accordance with Greenhouse Gas Protocol
2 Own vehicle fleets of the Migros Cooperatives and Saviva
3 In accordance with Swiss consumption mix at 132.9g CO2eq/KWh power
Specific greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) of the industrial companies
| Specific greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) of the industrial companies (in kg CO2eq/t production) |
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | Change from previous year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CO2 combustibles | 59.8 | 57.1 | 57.2 | 55.6 | 53.7 | -3.5% |
| CO2eq refrigerant losses | 1.9 | 3.0 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 3.2 | 16.2% |
| CO2eq electricity 1 | 34.9 | 34.6 | 34.9 | 34.7 | 34.9 | 0.5% |
| Total | 96.6 | 94.7 | 93.8 | 93.0 | 91.7 | -1.4% |
1 In accordance with Swiss consumption mix at 132.9g CO2eq/KWh power
Specific greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) of the branches
| Specific greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) of the branches (in kg CO2eq/m2 sales area) |
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | Change from previous year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CO2 combustibles | 16 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 7 | -42.1% |
| CO2eq refrigerant losses | 26 | 27 | 28 | 22 | 21 | -2.5% |
| CO2eq electricity 1 | 52 | 51 | 50 | 49 | 46 | -4.5% |
| Total | 94 | 90 | 89 | 82 | 74 | -9.2% |
1 In accordance with Swiss consumption mix at 132.9g CO2eq/KWh power
Water consumption
| Water consumption | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | Change compared to previous year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water consumption, total (in m3 million) | 7.53 | 7.27 | 7.05 | 7.00 | 7.07 | 1.0% |
| Branches | 1.23 | 1.18 | 1.14 | 1.06 | 0.95 | -10.8% |
| Industry | 5.88 | 5.69 | 5.53 | 5.56 | 5.76 | 3.6% |
| Logistics enterprises 1 | 0.42 | 0.40 | 0.39 | 0.38 | 0.37 | -4.0% |
| Water consumption, specific (in L million/CHF 1000 sales) 2 | 460 | 455 | 439 | 423 | 419 | -0.9% |
1 Operating centres, distribution centres and FMC
2 Income from Migros Cooperative Retailing and Industry (Migros Cooperatives excl. tegut..., FMC, industrial and logistics companies)
Efficient cooling technology
Migros stopped using CFC several years ago. As a refilling ban also came into force for HCFC in January 2015, Migros phased out a large proportion of HCFC in the reporting year. As an alternative to synthetic refrigerants, it is focusing strongly on carbon dioxide (CO2) and using it as the standard refrigerant in new cooling systems. This refrigerant, which occurs naturally in the environment, is recycled from industrial processes and does not put any additional burden on the climate.
For its efforts in the area of environmentally friendly refrigerants, Migros was again named a Green Cooling Leader by the Environmental Investigation Agency in 2014.
In 2014, Migros used the natural refrigerant CO2 to operate more than 455 of the 2'000 systems in its branches. Around a third of all branches have at least one CO2 cooling system. For its efforts in the area of environmentally friendly refrigerants, Migros was again named a Green Cooling Leader by the Environmental Investigation Agency in the reporting year.
With innovative cooling units (e.g. refrigeration cabinets with glass doors) and better plug-in refrigerators, power consumption can be reduced considerably in the branches. In 2011, Migros became the first retailer in Switzerland to use glass doors on its refrigeration cabinets, reducing power consumption by 30% to 45%. 167 branches have since been fitted with glass doors (fully or partially), with more conversions to follow. This corresponds to 5'400 running metres of cooling units.
Alongside the fixed cooling units, various mobile ones are also used in the supermarkets, such as for drinks. Power consumption can be reduced by up to 80% with plug-in refrigerators. In 2014, Migros Zurich (MCZ) changed 220 freezers as part of a major replacement programme. It is planning to replace more devices before 2016. The energy saving amounts to almost 1'000'000 kWh a year, which corresponds to 1.3% of the power required by all MCZ branches or by more than 250 households.
Figures Cooperative Retailing & Industry
HCFC cooling systems
| HCFC cooling systems (number of systems) |
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | Change from previous year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Branches | 414 | 359 | 277 | 158 | 70 | -56% |
| Industry | 157 | 147 | 116 | 91 | 47 | -48% |
| Logistics enterprises 1 | 42 | 46 | 36 | 31 | 27 | -13% |
| Total | 613 | 552 | 429 | 280 | 144 | -49% |
1 Operating centres, distribution centres and FMC
CO2 cooling systems in the branches
| CO2 cooling systems in the Migros branches (number of systems) |
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | Change from previous year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freezer systems | 110 | 155 | 192 | 226 | 272 | 20% |
| Fridge systems | 47 | 75 | 111 | 142 | 183 | 29% |
| Total | 157 | 230 | 303 | 368 | 455 | 24% |
Active promotion of renewable energy
A total of 45 solar power plants with an installed output of 16'817 kilowatts peak can be found on the roofs of Migros buildings.
In 2014, Migros Verteilbetriebe Neuendorf AG launched an ambitious project, thanks to which CO2 emissions can be reduced by up to 85% through substituting heating oil with refrigeration waste heat. The share of renewable energies in the total heat consumption of Migros is 15.5%.
Migros also procures renewable power directly. In 2014, it procured 30 GWh of green power with the labels naturemade star and basic.
Migros also actively promotes the production of renewable power by building solar power plants. A total of 45 solar power plants with an installed output of 16'817 kilowatts can be found on the roofs of Migros buildings. They generate some 16'151 MWh of power annually, which corresponds to the power consumption of around 3'500 detached houses.
Solar energy at the Neuendorf distribution centre
In 2013, the Migros distribution centre in Neuendorf put a photovoltaic system with a surface area of around 32'000 m2 (equivalent to 123 tennis courts) into operation on its roofs. The system generated 5'500'000 kilowatt hours of power in 2014, enough to supply 1500 households. As a result, the distribution centre currently boasts the largest solar power plant in Switzerland – an achievement that earned it the 2014 Swiss Solar Award Diploma.
Figures Migros Group
Energy consumption, Migros group 2014
| Energy sources | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy consumption, Migros group, 2014 (in GWh) |
Electricity | Heat | Fuel 4 | Total |
| Cooperative Retailing | 612 | 92 | 103 | 808 |
| Branches | 470 | 43 | 513 | |
| Logistics enterprises 1 | 142 | 49 | 103 | 294 |
| Industry | 338 | 375 | 7 | 720 |
| Cooperative Retailing + Industry | 951 | 468 | 110 | 1'528 |
| Commerce 2 | 127 | 22 | 149 | |
| Leisure facilities (Fitnessparks) 3 | 31 | 25 | 56 | |
| Financial Services and Travel | 9 | 1 | 10 | |
| Total | 1'117 | 516 | 110 | 1'743 |
1 Operating centres, distribution centres and FMC
2 based on data of the retailers Globus, Interio, Migrol and Denner (contains some projections and previous year's data)
3 based on data of Migros Bank and Hotelplan Switzerland
4 Own vehicle fleets of the Migros Cooperatives and Saviva
Figures Cooperative Retailing & Industry
Energy consumption, absolute 2014
| Energy consumption (in GWh) |
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | Change from previous year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 963 | 967 | 978 | 966 | 951 | -1.6% |
| Heat | 561 | 518 | 521 | 518 | 468 | -9.8% |
| Fuel 1 | 114 | 114 | 112 | 111 | 110 | -1.1% |
| Total | 1'639 | 1'599 | 1'610 | 1'596 | 1'528 | -4.3% |
1 Own vehicle fleets of the Migros Cooperatives and Saviva
Specific energy consumption, industry
| Specific energy consumption, industry (in kWh/t production) |
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | Goal 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 263 | 261 | 263 | 261 | 262 | 244 |
| Heat | 327 | 313 | 318 | 310 | 302 | 268 |
| Total | 589 | 574 | 580 | 571 | 564 | 512 |
Specific energy consumption, branches
| Specific energy consumption, branches (in GWh) |
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | Change from previous year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 394 | 384 | 376 | 365 | 349 | -4.5% |
| Heat | 73 | 56 | 54 | 54 | 32 | -41.2% |
| Total | 467 | 439 | 430 | 419 | 380 | -9.3% |
Electricity Cooperative retail
| Electricity, Cooperative retail (in GWh) |
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | Goal 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 642 | 646 | 647 | 631 | 612 | 579 |
Share of energy carriers in energy consumption
| Proportion of energy source to total energy consumption 2014 (in %) |
Absolute | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 951 | 62.2% |
| Natural gas | 352 | 23.1% |
| Diesel | 104 | 6.8% |
| Heating oil | 46 | 3.0% |
| District heating | 46 | 3.0% |
| Wood | 24 | 1.5% |
| Biodiesel, biogas | 4 | 0.3% |
| Petrol | 2 | 0.1% |
| Total | 1'528 | 100.0% |
Minergie and renewable energy
| Minergie and renewable energies | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | Change from previous year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minergie-certified area (Migros Group) (in 1000 m2) | 405 | 790 | 822 | 872 | 878 | 0.6% |
| Procurement of green power (in GWh) | 89 | 101 | 87 | 84 | 30 | -64.4% |
| Solar power plants (installed capacity on Migros roofs in kilowatt peak) | 2'604 | 3'222 | 3'691 | 11'882 | 16'817 | 41.5% |
| Proportion of heat from renewable energy (in %) |
14.1% | 13.9% | 15.6% | 15.0% | 15.5% | 3.4% |
Sustainable stores – near-natural habitat
Migros has set itself the target of making all new buildings and conversions of Migros branches even more environmentally friendly and building them in accordance with the sustainable construction standard Nachhaltiges Bauen Migros from the start of 2014. In the reporting year, more than 80 new buildings or conversions had been or were being constructed in accordance with the standard. The standard, which was developed together with sustainability experts, takes into account aspects such as energy, material ecology, nature and landscape. In the field of energy, it is not just about promoting renewable energies but also about keeping power consumption as low as possible, such as by using LED lighting. Furthermore, all branches are required to implement the Minergie standard and use the waste heat from cooling units. In addition, environmentally friendly materials are used in the construction of new buildings.
At the same time, the standard promotes the creation of near-natural habitats in the surroundings of Migros buildings. On the green areas of company and leisure facilities, for example, wild flower meadows, dry walls and hedges with local shrubs are being created to serve as a habitat for animals and plants.
In the interest of biodiversity, Migros is aiming to create at least 2 million square metres of near-natural habitat by the end of 2015. In the reporting year, 6 company premises and more than 327'000 m2 were certified as near-natural habitat by the Nature & Business Foundation. In addition, Switzerland's first near-natural residential complex was certified. It is owned by the Migros Pension Fund.
Further information
LED as standard
LED lighting has been used as standard in the Migros supermarkets since 2013, as well as in the specialist markets since 2014. LED technology is also used as standard in all new buildings and conversions. In the reporting year, 236 supermarkets (38%) and 66 specialist markets (28%) were partially equipped with LED lights, with more to follow in 2015.
Climate-friendly products
Migros configures its product range in a way that gives customers a wide selection of climate-friendly and energy-efficient products. Products that are particularly climate friendly carry the «Topten» label.
Certified Migros cooling technology
The British Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) regularly audits the environmental acceptability of cooling technology in European retail. Out of 20 companies audited in 2014, nine – including Migros – were named as a Green Cooling Leader.
Solar energy at the Marin shopping centre
As part of its sustainability strategy, Migros Neuchatel-Fribourg installed the canton's largest solar power plant on the roof of the Marin shopping centre in 2014. It consists of 4000 photovoltaic modules with a total surface area of 6410 m2, the same as 24 tennis courts.