Morrisons Sets Full Value Chain Net Zero Target with SBTi Validation

UK supermarket Morrisons has adopted new climate targets including a commitment to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions across its full value chain by 2050, with interim targets of 80% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 and 40% reduction in Scope 3 emissions by 2035, validated by the Science Based Targets initiative. Scope 3 emissions represent approximately 98% of Morrisons' total carbon footprint.

Morrisons' updated targets include a 90% reduction in absolute Scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions and a 72% reduction in Forest, Land and Agriculture (FLAG) emissions by 2050, on a 2019 baseline. Interim 2035 targets include 80% reduction in absolute Scope 1 and 2, 40% reduction in absolute Scope 3, 48.5% reduction in Scope 3 FLAG, and a commitment to no deforestation across primary deforestation-linked commodities by the end of 2025. The company reported a 22% total carbon reduction since 2019, including a 27% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions, driven by operational changes, energy efficiency projects, lower-carbon logistics and supplier collaboration.

Morrisons' expansion of its net zero commitment to the full value chain is significant because Scope 3 accounts for 98% of the company's footprint, meaning the overwhelming majority of emissions reductions required must come from suppliers and customers rather than the company's own operations. For food and agricultural suppliers globally, including Indian exporters of agricultural commodities, the tightening of UK and European retailer climate requirements signals that supply chain decarbonisation is moving from voluntary to commercially necessary. Supplier engagement on deforestation-free commodities commitments by retailers with strict 2025 deadlines will test whether existing agricultural sourcing standards can deliver at scale.

Morrisons Head of Sustainability Andrew Edlin said the SBTi validation reaffirms the company's commitment to sustainability and that the move to a 2050 target across the full value chain is a significant step forward. The shift from a 2035 operational net zero goal to a broader 2050 full value chain target reflects a recalibration of ambition that prioritises comprehensiveness over speed in direct operations. As the SBTi updates its Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2, companies will face increasingly rigorous requirements for full value chain target-setting, making Morrisons' early adoption of FLAG emissions targets and comprehensive Scope 3 goals a relevant template for other retailers.

Key figure — Scope 3 = approximately 98% of Morrisons' total carbon footprint