Energy & climate

Since 2014, corporate environmental protection has been a component of the basic requirements that apply to all companies in the Migros Group. These allow companies to be gradually incorporated into the group's energy and environmental management and means that they determine measurable targets on the basis of their business model and industry. In 2016, the companies set themselves targets mainly for LED lighting, refrigerants and waste.

Cooperative Retailing

As part of KES2020, Cooperative Retailing has set itself the ambitious target of using 10% less power and emitting 20% less greenhouse gases between 2010 and 2020. Migros will reduce greenhouse gases by twice as much as Switzerland as a whole within this period. It will therefore make an above-average contribution to the government's energy strategy and Swiss climate protection.

The Paris climate deal agreed at the end of 2015 aims to limit global warming to well below 2°C. In order to meet these requirements, Migros commissioned a study with WWF in 2016 to determine the future need for action. The study showed that Migros, assuming that KES2020 continues along the same lines, would lose some ground from 2020 onwards, as the global reduction targets will become more stringent.

To reach the global 2° target and reduce emissions by more than 90% by 2100, Migros must reduce emissions by 56%-75% by the milestone in 2050. It already contributes in various ways, such as through consistent use of waste heat, use of natural refrigerants and renewable energy, and the installation of photovoltaic systems on its roofs. Efficiency measures will also be a priority in a climate and energy strategy after 2020.

In 2016, Cooperative Retailing reduced power consumption by 6.7% in absolute terms in comparison with 2010. In the same period, greenhouse gas emissions were cut by 20.6%. This reduction was largely due to the use of LED lighting and CO2 cooling systems in the branches, renewal of the cooling systems and conversion to LED lighting in the operating centres.

M-Industry

The 23 companies of M-Industry in Switzerland pursue the climate and energy 2020 targets, which involve specific reductions per tonne produced. The industrial enterprises aim to reduce power consumption by 0.7% a year and heat consumption by 1.8% per tonne produced in comparison with the previous year. CO2 emissions from heating are to be reduced by 21.7% in absolute terms between 2010 and 2020.

The Migros Group produces about 300'000 t of greenhouse gas emissions each year (Scope 1 and 2 in accordance with Greenhouse Gas Protocol, not all companies are currently included in the measurement). In order to reduce its emissions, Migros' first and most important measure is to save energy. In addition to sustainable construction, it invests in energy-efficient equipment and new technology, and trains its employees to be more economical. Cooperative Retailing uses LED lighting technology as standard in all new and conversions of Migros branches and specialist stores, which reduces power consumption for lighting in a branch by half.

More training in catering services

Correct use and operation of machinery is essential in order to exploit potential savings to the full. Cooperative Retailing therefore invests in training for staff who work in its restaurants and takeaways. The training concept was enhanced in 2016. Alongside classroom training, all employees can now make use of e-learning courses as well.

Tegut: certified energy management system

For its self-operated supermarkets, Tegut applies an energy management system certified according to the energy management standard DIN EN ISO 50001. The system was recertified by TÜV Süd in 2016. In the reporting year, Tegut equipped five new stores and eleven revamped branches with modern building technology. These systematic energy efficiency measures have made it possible to reduce the average annual specific power consumption in all supermarkets.

ELSA: milk concentration system

As a result of installation of a reverse osmosis system at the end of the reporting year, Estavayer Lait SA (ELSA) has reduced the volume and weight of milk by-products, such as sour milk. The by-products are taken away by lorry and used as animal feed. ELSA expects the volume of these products to fall from 22.6 to 12.8 million litres per year. The new system has reduced emissions from heat utilisation by 940 t CO2 per year and cut the number of lorry journeys needed for removal by almost half.

Migros not only reduces its greenhouse gas emissions through better energy efficiency but also through replacement of fossil fuels with heat from renewable sources. 11 out of the 13 logistics centres use heat from biomass, district heating from incineration plants or waste heat. In M-Industry, 9 out of 14 companies in Switzerland do so.

ELSA replacing fossil fuels

In 2016, Estavayer Lait SA (ELSA) put a woodchip heating system for steam production into operation at the Estavayer-le-Lac plant. The steam is used to heat-treat milk and produce UHT milk, among other things. ELSA expects the system to generate about 54 GWh of heat per year. This corresponds to 60% of the total energy required by the plant and promises to reduce CO2 emissions by about 12'200 t in comparison with the use of fossil fuels.

Migros uses solar energy

Switzerland's biggest solar power plant, with an output of 7.8 megawatt peak (MWp), is located on the roofs of Migros-Verteilbetrieb Neuendorf AG (MVN). In the reporting year, the plant was extended to the roof of a new deep-freeze warehouse, which now produces about 18% more power than before. The system consists of almost 29'800 solar panels across an area of more than 48'000 m2 – equivalent to 185 tennis courts.

End of 2016, Migros owned a total of 220 solar power plants with an installed output of 26'241 kWp were on the roofs of Migros buildings at the end of 2016. They generate some 25'300 MWh of power annually, which corresponds to the power consumption of about 8'400 average households.

In the reporting year, the Migros Pension Fund (MPF) assessed its entire property portfolio to determine suitability for photovoltaic systems. At the end of 2016, 163 photovoltaic systems were located on the roofs of MPF properties; these produce about 8.5 million KWh of power per year. An increasing number of projects are being completed on the basis of self-consumption, whereby the generated solar power is consumed directly in the building and only the surplus is fed into the grid.

The Minergie-certified surface area within the Migros Group amounts to 942'908 m2.

In 2016, Migros used the natural refrigerant CO2 to operate some 26% of the cooling systems in the branches of Cooperative Retailing; this corresponds to about 616 of the 2'380 branch systems.

In 2011, Migros became the first retailer in Switzerland to use glass doors on its refrigeration cabinets, reducing power consumption for refrigeration by 30%-45%. Migros has since fitted 254 branches with glass doors (fully or partially), with more conversions to follow. This corresponds to a length of about 7'945 metres of cooling units.

Along with Cooperative Retailing, Denner has also been using CO2 as a refrigerant for all new stores and expansions since 2016. This corresponds to 30 to 40 locations each year that use the natural refrigerant CO2. The discounter also tested the natural refrigerant propane (R290) in several branches as part of a pilot project. In one branch, propane is already used as a refrigerant on the entire shop floor and warehouse area.

The cooling system used for chilled water at ELSA in Estavayer-le-Lac was, until last year, one of the biggest energy consumers in the Migros Group. The system was extensively modernised in 2016, and included installation of a water pre-cooling mechanism and energy-efficient piston compressors. As a result of these measures, power consumption was 2.3 GWh (34.6%) lower than in the previous year.

Since 2014, Migros has aimed to systematically implement all new buildings and conversions of Migros branches according to the sustainable construction standard Nachhaltiges Bauen Migros, in order to make them even more environmentally friendly. The Cooperatives now have an enhanced version of this planning tool at their disposal. In 2016, 154 new buildings or conversions were constructed according to the standard. The new buildings include the branch in Seon (AG), which is heated fully with waste heat from the cooling system. 

In 2016, the Migros plus-energy branch in Zuzwil (SG) was awarded the Swiss Solar Prize by Solar Agentur Schweiz in the category "PlusEnergieBau-Diplom". Calculated over the course of a year, the branch produces more energy than it consumes. This is made possible by a powerful photovoltaic system, intelligent building technology and highly energy-efficient equipment.

Cooperative Retailing is continuously transferring the concept of the plus-energy branch to more supermarkets and specialist stores. The first plus-energy Do it + Garden specialist store was opened in Pfungen (ZH) in 2016. More are set to open this year.

In 2016, the Swiss environmental foundation Schweizerische Umweltstiftung rewarded Migros for its commitment to more nature on the company premises and for the first wild bee paradise in the Zugerland shopping centre. By the end of the reporting year, Migros had created more than 2.7 million m2 of near-natural habitat as part of Generation M. The premises of Micarna in Bazenheid (SG) and a residential complex owned by the Migros Pension Fund were newly certified.

The Bienenzukunft platform initiated by the Engagement Migros development fund was made accessible to the public in 2016. The online platform provides practice-oriented, scientifically confirmed information about honey bees and wild bees, and offers specific recommendations for bee protection and support.