Water consumption

Water withdrawal and reuse

In 2025, we reduced the volume of water abstracted in our distribution activities, per €1,000 of sales, by 24% compared with 2021, more than surpassing our 2026 target (to reduce water abstraction in distribution activities by 10%, relative to sales, against a 2021 baseline).

Nevertheless, we acknowledge a significant increase in absolute water abstraction (+30.6%), partly explained by the expansion of our operations, but mainly due to higher abstraction from municipal and private networks for agricultural purposes, resulting from the inclusion of new businesses within JMA. The expansion of our fruit and vegetable operations – particularly the production of oranges, grapefruits and mandarina tango – led to higher water abstraction (+57.5%).

For these reasons, in 2025 we intensified our investment in water‑recovery technologies. As a result, JMA recorded an increase in water reused, driven by the wider use of pond water for animal watering at Best Farmer. We also highlight an increase in rainwater harvesting in Ara and Pingo Doce stores.

Our distribution activities recorded a 7.8% increase in water abstraction in absolute terms compared with 2024, justified by the opening of more than 400 stores. At Ara, the increase in consumption (+33.8% versus 2024) is associated with the expansion of its store network in 2025 (an additional 215 stores in the year).

The specific abstraction value in distribution activities per €1,000 of sales remained at 0.102 m³ in 2025, consistent with our strengthened focus on fresh food and convenience solutions, such as the expansion of the butcher and deli counters at Biedronka or the Pingo Doce Fresh Meal Solutions areas (restaurants, ready meals and takeaway).

Around 90% of the water abstracted for our activities was sourced from municipal networks or private suppliers. The remaining 10% originated from groundwater and surface water abstractions, for which we hold the required permits, and which are used in less demanding operations such as irrigation and cooling systems.

Water disposal

Direct discharges of wastewater into the natural environment are treated in advance at the locations where they are generated, under the permits granted to us and in accordance with local legislation. In 2025, they accounted for 1.8% of the Group’s total volume of wastewater generated, a value that is practically identical to that of the previous year, despite the expansion of our operations.

In the distribution sector, Ara recorded the largest variation in the volume of water discharged into the municipal sewer system, resulting from higher water consumption in stores during 2025, driven by the expansion of our operations.

The increase in the amount of water discharged into the natural environment (+7.5%) is explained by the growth in activity across the JMA, Pingo Doce and Recheio businesses. These discharges take place after passing through wastewater treatment plants.

Water stress

Every year, we assess the water stress associated with the water withdrawals from our operations. This analysis allows us to evaluate our exposure to the risk of potable water scarcity. To do so, we rely on the mapping of the physical locations of the Companies’ facilities and on the World Resources Institute (WRI) Aqueduct model: Baseline Water Stress Class.

In 2025, 35% of the total water abstracted (2,912,221 m³) fell within the “Extremely High” to “High” water‑stress classes, representing a 69% increase compared with the same indicator in 2024.

This increase reflects the inclusion of new JMA agricultural operations which, due to both the variety of crops produced and the specific location of the farms in Portugal, show a higher propensity for increased water‑stress risk, in line with the nature of this activity. With regard to water discharged, the volume corresponding to the “Extremely High” and “High” risk classes amounted to 1,461,466 m³, or 46% of total discharges. This represents a 4% increase compared with 2024.

With the aim of improving water‑use efficiency and managing scarcity during periods of low rainfall, JMA developed a Water Management Plan in 2024, which also seeks to address the challenges that climate change poses to the availability of this scarce resource. In 2025, in line with the roadmap defined, JMA began monitoring the existing water boreholes in its agri‑food production units. At the same time, it invested in:

• the installation and upgrading of water and wastewater treatment systems (WWTPs and hydrocarbon separators) at its facilities;

• the installation of a new irrigation centre;

• the acquisition of soil‑moisture sensors for the agri‑food units, equipped with technologies that detect irrigation needs based on meteorological conditions and soil humidity.