Water withdrawal and reuse
Total consumption (m3/thousand euros in sales) |
|
2024 |
|
2023 |
|
Δ 2024/2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Overall specific value |
|
0.189 |
|
0.212 |
|
-11.1% |
Specific value (Distribution) |
|
0.102 |
|
0.106 |
|
-4.7% |
Specific value (Agribusiness) |
|
20.386 |
|
28.711 |
|
-29.0% |
Total withdrawal (m3) |
|
2024 |
|
2023 |
|
Δ 2024/2023 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Water withdrawal by source1 |
|
6,315,041 |
|
6,500,463 |
|
-2.9% |
||||
Municipal and private supply system |
|
6,002,472 |
|
6,165,917 |
|
-2.7% |
||||
Groundwater |
|
294,000 |
|
316,375 |
|
-7.1% |
||||
Surface water (including rainwater) |
|
18,569 |
|
18,171 |
|
+2.2% |
||||
Water withdrawal by business unit |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Pingo Doce |
|
1,761,136 |
|
1,726,157 |
|
+2.0% |
||||
Recheio |
|
84,192 |
|
88,612 |
|
-5.0% |
||||
Biedronka |
|
974,441 |
|
940,997 |
|
+3.6% |
||||
Hebe |
|
23,728 |
|
21,739 |
|
+9.2% |
||||
Ara |
|
561,144 |
|
472,856 |
|
+18.7% |
||||
JMA |
|
2,910,400 |
|
3,250,122 |
|
-10.5% |
||||
|
||||||||||
Recycled water (m3) |
|
2024 |
|
2023 |
|
Δ 2024/2023 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total recycled water1 |
|
2,828 |
|
2,386 |
|
+18.5% |
||||
|
||||||||||
Our goal is to reduce, by the end of 2026, the volume of water withdrawal in Distribution by 10% per thousand euros in sales, compared to 2021. In 2024, and compared to 2021, water withdrawal was reduced by 59% per thousand euros in sales.
In 2024, Portugal experienced higher rainfall compared to 2023, which explains the 2.9% decrease in water withdrawal, in absolute terms. JMA significantly reduced its own withdrawals (16.0% less) and consumption from private water supply (-10.9%) used for animal watering and irrigation needs, respectively.
The harvesting of rainwater and surface water for use in refrigeration systems, irrigation and the external washing of trucks increased 2.2% compared to 2023, due to water reuse at Recheio stores and at one of the distribution centres in Portugal. In Colombia, private water consumption increased 32.3% as a consequence of a year of drought.
More than 95% of withdrawn water used for our activities came from municipal or private supply systems. Groundwater and surface water accounts for the remaining 5%, for which we hold the required licences and is used for less demanding operations, such as irrigation and refrigeration systems.
Considering only the Distribution business, water withdrawal increased 4.7% in absolute terms compared to 2023, as a result of the opening of over 350 new stores. However, in 2024 the downward trend in specific consumption continued, falling by 4.7% (0.106 to 0.102 m3 per thousand euros of sales).
Water disposal
Total wastewater (m3) |
|
2024 |
|
2023 |
|
Δ 2024/2023 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wastewater by type of destination1 |
|
2,927,136 |
|
2,809,033 |
|
+4.2% |
||||
Municipal sewage |
|
2,874,175 |
|
2,757,262 |
|
+4.2% |
||||
Environment |
|
52,961 |
|
51,771 |
|
+2.3% |
||||
Wastewater by business unit |
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
Pingo Doce |
|
1,408,909 |
|
1,380,926 |
|
+2.0% |
||||
Recheio |
|
67,353 |
|
70,890 |
|
-5.0% |
||||
Biedronka |
|
779,553 |
|
752,782 |
|
+3.6% |
||||
Hebe |
|
18,983 |
|
17,391 |
|
+9.2% |
||||
Ara |
|
448,915 |
|
378,285 |
|
+18.7% |
||||
JMA |
|
203,423 |
|
208,760 |
|
-2.6% |
||||
|
||||||||||
Wastewater discharged directly into the natural environment is licensed in accordance with local laws and is properly treated in the places where it is generated before being discharged. Discharged wastewater accounts for 1.8% of the total volume of wastewater generated by the Group, virtually the same as in the previous year (-0.03 p.p. compared to 2023), despite the expansion of our operations.
In the Distribution business, Pingo Doce has higher water consumption due to its strong focus on specialised perishables – such as fish and meat counters – which leads to higher water consumption for washing and sanitising these areas.
Water consumption1
Total water consumed (m3) |
|
2024 |
|
2023 |
|
Δ 2024/2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Water consumption by business unit |
|
3,387,905 |
|
3,691,430 |
|
-8.2% |
Pingo Doce |
|
352,227 |
|
345,231 |
|
+2.0% |
Recheio |
|
16,839 |
|
17,722 |
|
-5.0% |
Biedronka |
|
194,888 |
|
188,195 |
|
+3.6% |
Hebe |
|
4,745 |
|
4,348 |
|
+9.1% |
Ara |
|
112,229 |
|
94,571 |
|
+18.7% |
JMA |
|
2,706,977 |
|
3,041,362 |
|
-11.0% |
Water stress
Every year we perform water stress tests, associated with water withdrawal in our operations, to determine our exposure to the risk of a shortage of drinking water. To this end, we map the physical locations of the Companies’ establishments and use the World Resources Institute (WRI) Aqueduct: Baseline Water Stress Class model.
|
|
Water withdrawal (m3) |
|
Water disposal (m3) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Water stress class |
|
Municipal and private supply system |
|
Groundwater and surface water |
|
Municipal sanitation |
|
Environment |
Total |
|
6,002,472 |
|
315,397 |
|
2,874,175 |
|
52,961 |
Low |
|
883,037 |
|
38,322 |
|
715,604 |
|
19,221 |
Low to medium |
|
691,769 |
|
104,293 |
|
238,942 |
|
28,056 |
Medium to high |
|
2,807,582 |
|
71,151 |
|
521,547 |
|
0 |
High |
|
307,647 |
|
40,196 |
|
277,431 |
|
9 |
Extremely high |
|
1,312,437 |
|
61,434 |
|
1,120,651 |
|
5,675 |
Drought |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
No data |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
|
0 |
In 2024, 27% of total water withdrawal (1,721,714 m3) had an “extremely high” or “high” water stress level. This figure corresponds to a decrease of 1,661 m3 compared to water withdrawn in 2023. The figures for both total water withdrawal with “extremely high” or “high” water stress and the decrease are similar to those recorded in 2023.
In terms of water disposal, the volume for both risk levels is of 1,403,766 m3, accounting for 48% of the total. Water discharged in “high” and “extremely high” water stress increased 0.04%, slightly compared to 2023.
To tackle the challenge that climate change poses to water availability, in 2024 JMA drew up a Water Management Plan to promote the adoption of mitigation and adaptation measures to improve water efficiency and to manage water scarcity during periods of low rainfall. Measures included in the Plan are:
- assessing water quality and availability on new and existing farms, in order to guarantee a suitable set of solutions to improve efficiency in the use of withdrawn water;
- adapting water sources according to their use, ensuring legal compliance with the use of own water resources;
- minimising water losses and ensuring efficient water use, prioritising the improvement in the efficiency of water supply systems before new investments are made;
- ensuring the monitoring and control of surface and groundwater resources, so that the current and future management of these resources is ensured;
- managing water management in the value chain through environmental protection initiatives.
1 Water consumption was calculated according to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) methodology, where water consumption is the difference between water withdrawal and water discharge.