Use of virgin paper and wood fibres in Private Brand products increased comparing to 2022, due to the launch of new products and the sales increase at Ara and Biedronka. At the end of 2023, the FP CoA revised the list of countries considered to have a non-negligible risk of deforestation. According to the new list, 6% of these fibres are from countries with non-negligible risk of deforestation1, of which 75% come from sustainably managed forests, as they are FSC®, PEFC or SFI certified. However, based on the list of countries with non-negligible risk of deforestation applicable in 20222, these values would represent 2.9% and 0.5%, respectively.
Unknown origins represent only 0.4% of the total. Nonetheless, 100% of fibres of unknown origin are from sustainably managed forests.
In terms of the paper and wood used in packaging, more than 80% of the fibres are recycled. With regard to the use of virgin fibres in packaging, only 4% of total virgin fibres come from countries with non-negligible risk of deforestation. Of these 4%, more than 90% have FSC® or PEFC certification. However, based on the list of countries with non-negligible risk of deforestation applicable in 2022, these values would represent 8% and 85%, respectively.
Around 90% of the virgin fibres used in our Private Brand products had sustainability certification (FSC®, PEFC or SFI), on par with 2022. In the case of packaging, 74% of virgin fibres are certified sustainable (4 p.p. more than in 2022). It is our goal to ensure that 100% of the paper and wood used in our Private Brand products and packaging is certified by 2030.
Around 6% of the total virgin paper and wood fibres used in perishable and Private Brand products and packaging comes from countries with non-negligible risk of deforestation, of which more than 75% is FSC®, PEFC or SFI certified. However, based on the list of countries with non-negligible risk of deforestation applicable in 2022, these values would represent 4% and 32%, respectively.
We were able to trace the origin of around 90% of virgin fibres used, at least, to country level. With regard to fibres of unknown origin (11% of the total), around 77% have sustainability certification, such as FSC®, PEFC or SFI.
1 The countries considered to have non-negligible risk of deforestation associated with the agricultural production of paper and timber were revised in 2023 and correspond to those defined in the CGF guidelines (Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Ecuador, Russian Federation, Gabon, Honduras, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Democratic Republic of Congo, People’s Republic of China and Papua New Guinea).
2 The list of countries considered to have non-negligible risk of deforestation associated with the agricultural production of paper and timber applicable to 2022 correspond to those defined in the CGF guidelines (Cambodia, Colombia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Cameroon, Republic of Ghana, People’s Republic of China, Papua New Guinea, Thailand and Vietnam).