Race to the top on sustainability

The recent implementation of the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Climate Protection Act, with which the German federal government is committed to greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045, requires companies to make efforts towards sustainability. “With the goal of accelerating sustainability efforts, this Superlist ignites a race to the top on responsible conduct among supermarkets and can inspire governments in using their influence for a healthy and sustainable food system” explains Charlotte Linnebank, Executive Director at Questionmark. Over 70 percent of the food Germans eat comes from supermarkets. Linnebank continues: “We are curious to see to what extent German supermarkets take responsibility by using their influence through their policies, assortments, promotions and store plans.”

A healthy diet for a healthy planet

This ambition fits very well with the latest German Dietary Guidelines, which the German Nutrition Society (DGE) published at the beginning of the year and which are now factoring in environment and health aspects - in line with the Planetary Health Diet. Niklas Oppenrieder, founder Physicians Association for Nutrition “Healthy people can only exist on a healthy planet. That’s why we as a medical organisation support the Superlist Environment. Supermarkets need to support their clients in making the sustainable choice for both people and planet”. Florian Wall, Senior Associate Germany at Madre Brava, also wishes for: "a food environment in which the sustainable and healthy choice is always the simple and affordable choice. Superlist puts pressure on the food retail to create exactly that environment."

First steps are being made, but more ambition is needed

German supermarkets can draw inspiration from their Dutch neighbours for the protein transition, who are the first globally to commit to a 60% plant-based and 40% animal-based protein split by 2030. So far only Lidl in Germany has published its current protein split and set targets to increase the plant share until 2030. Aldi Süd has instead published the animal vs plant-based volume sales, independent of its protein content. Neither have committed to a 60:40 goal yet. “Determining the share of plant-based and animal-based products in major retailer's product range is a crucial first step towards an increase in plant-based products - because what gets measured, also gets done”, says Esther Rabofski, interim director of corporate outreach at Albert Schweitzer Foundation. “From my conversations with these companies, it is clear that they see this change as inevitable. We welcome the progress and provide active support to the companies.” Virginia Cecchini Kuskow, Senior Food Industry Manager at ProVeg adds: “Benchmarks are the key to meaningful sustainability reporting. Retailers in Germany have already shown responsibility, particularly for the protein transition. Now they all need to set ambitious targets and implement effective measures.”