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Home > About SUPERVALU > Environmental Stewardship


Waste Recycled
Cardboard (OCC)
Recycled Cardboard
Plastic
Recycled Plastic
Plastic = Shrink wrap and
customer returned shopping
bags
For more information on our efforts check out our
Corporate Social Responsibility
Beverage containers returned
479 million beverage containers were returned to SUPERVALU stores in 2009
Southern California 114,850,864 Aluminum Cans 120,179,969 Plastic Containers 25,766,213 Glass Containers

Oregon
58,866,296 Aluminum Cans 16,388,027 Plastic Containers 17,126,608 Glass Containers

New England
75,688,837 Aluminum Cans 34,611,659 Plastic Containers 15,840,079 Glass Containers
SUPERVALU Environmental Stewardship
SUPERVALU's Commitment to Environmental Sustainability
  • To make steady progress in reducing our carbon footprint over the next five years
  • To reduce our landfill waste by 50 percent in five years
  • To build a "green" culture with SUPERVALU associates through education, communication and engagement
  • To provide "green" products and services to our customers that support them in meeting their personal environmental goals
Sustainability Initiatives
SUPERVALU is committed to reducing energy usage in our stores. Between 2000 and 2009, SUPERVALU invested $110 million on energy projects, saving over 425 million kilowatt-hours
of energy per year.
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Sustainability Initiatives
SUPERVALU encourages customer involvement in our ongoing recycling programs, which help convert thousands of tons of waste each year into renewable materials.
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Sustainability Initiatives
SUPERVALU's environmental stewardship council, ValuEarth,
oversees a variety of activities aimed at minimizing the company's
environmental footprint. ValuEarth activities are initiated and managed by the director of environmental stewardship.
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Sustainability Initiatives
SUPERVALU is an active member of
The Food Marketing Institute's Sustainability Task Force
and Energy and Technical Services Committee.
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Sustainability Initiatives
SUPERVALU joined the Environmental Protection Agency's
GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership, a voluntary program to promote green business technologies, strategies and practices.
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Sustainability Initiatives
SUPERVALU banner stores across the country are using Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) principles in store design and construction. These principles allow our stores to be leaders in the construction of high performance green buildings.
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Sustainability Initiatives
SUPERVALU commends Will Steger's Ellesmere Island expedition
to raise awareness of global warming issues and promote
responsible and sustainable stewardship of our planet. We were
proud to sponsor the expedition with monetary and food support.
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Sustainability Initiatives
Many SUPERVALU retail stores sponsor earth-friendly holiday
activities including initiatives and projects to celebrate Earth Day.
In April of 2010, SUPERVALU sold 324,880 reusable bags
as part of environmental promotions.
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Sustainability Initiatives
SUPERVALU stores offer customers reusable bags as an
eco-friendly option for carrying their groceries.
Retail locations sold over four million bags in 2009.
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Sustainability Initiatives
SUPERVALU standardized the onboard computer systems
in its trucking fleet in an effort to increase fuel economy. This tool allows real time and accurate reporting to measure driver and engine
performance on a variety of different metrics.
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SUPERVALU's Methods of Energy Conservation
  • SUPERVALU began implementing low energy LED lighting, which uses 50 percent less energy than traditional lights, for in-store lighting needs, such as:
    • Reach-in frozen food cases
    • Exterior wall packs and back room lighting
    • Spot lighting
    • Walk-in freezer and cooler boxes
  • SUPERVALU installed approximately 500 kw of solar power generating systems on store rooftops in southern California and the northeast
  • The Star Market in Chestnut Hill, Mass., re-opened in fall 2009, as a pilot prototype for sustainability. Technologies at the store include:
    • Fuel Cell for on-site electrical generation
    • The refrigeration system reduced refrigerant usage in the store by nearly 90%
    • 100% LED Lighting (First grocery store in the nation to achieve this milestone)
    • Combined Heat and Power system to offset electrical and heating demand of the store
Recycling and Waste Reduction Efforts
  • SUPERVALU banners conducted waste audits to determine recycling programs execution levels. Audit results provided education and highlighted opportunities to further efforts to reduce waste and increase recycling and other forms of waste diversion.
  • SUPERVALU offered reusable bags for sale in all stores. Bags were offered in a variety of fashionable and functional designs. In all, customers purchased over 4 million bags during 2009.
  • SUPERVALU stores donated over 60 million pounds of food to food banks across the nation through the fresh rescue program.
  • Select SUPERVALU stores participate in composting programs:
    • Albertsons stores in Seattle have turned the store compactors into compost containers that are filled and removed weekly.
    • Select Acme stores in Pennsylvania fill compost totes that are picked up on a daily basis and turned into high-grade soil.
    • Select Cub Foods stores in Minnesota and Shaw's stores in the Northeast have partnerships with local farmers to utilize store produce waste for animal feed.
  • SUPERVALU has implemented a Recycle bank partnership at Cub Foods, Shoppers Food & Pharmacy, ACME, Shaw's/Star Market, and Albertsons. The recycling program rewards consumers' recycling efforts with store coupons.