Shelved Again: Supermarkets’ missing action on methane

The report finds a 'leadership vacuum' in the global food retail sector regarding methane emissions. Despite the critical role of methane in short-term global warming, none of the 20 largest retailers assessed publicly reported their methane emissions or set specific targets to reduce them. While European retailers generally outperform US retailers in acknowledging the climate impact of livestock, the overall sector shows a lack of transparency and ambition. The report recommends that retailers set science-based methane reduction targets of at least 30% by 2030 and shift their product portfolios toward a 60/40 plant-to-animal protein sales split.

• None of the 20 largest food retailers assessed publicly reported their methane emissions or published a target to reduce them in 2026.
• There is a significant disparity in climate accountability between regions, with US retailers and the Spanish retailer Mercadona occupying the lowest ranks of the scorecard.
• While 40% of retailers (eight companies) acknowledged the impact of methane from livestock on climate change, 30% (six companies) only recognized the general impact of agriculture without explicitly mentioning methane.
• No retailer in the assessment linked executive remuneration to specific targets for reducing methane emissions or increasing plant-based alternative sales, with the exception of Carrefour, which only linked pay to a general plant-based protein sales target.
• Only 40% of the assessed retailers (eight companies) have SBTi-validated targets, which include net-zero, near- or long-term, and Forest Land and Agriculture (FLAG) targets.
• No retailer has committed to a 60/40 plant-to-animal protein sales split by 2030, although four retailers set less ambitious or regional targets.
• Price parity for plant-based alternatives is almost non-existent globally; Lidl is the only retailer with a price-parity policy, specifically for its Vemondo range in the German market.
• Food waste reduction efforts are inconsistent; Carrefour is the only retailer to score full points across the food waste category, while 15 other retailers scored zero points for zero-landfill policies.
• The report highlights that methane reduction is feasible by citing Danone, which is close to achieving a 30% reduction five years ahead of its 2030 deadline.

APA

Changing Markets Foundation (2026). Shelved Again: Supermarkets’ missing action on methane. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Shelved-Again-Supermarkets-Missing-Action-on-Methane.pdf

Chicago

Changing Markets Foundation. Shelved Again: Supermarkets’ missing action on methane. 2026. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Shelved-Again-Supermarkets-Missing-Action-on-Methane.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Changing Markets Foundation |title=Shelved Again: Supermarkets’ missing action on methane |date=April 2026 |url=https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Shelved-Again-Supermarkets-Missing-Action-on-Methane.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{changingmarketsfoundation2026shelved, author = {{Changing Markets Foundation}}, title = {{Shelved Again: Supermarkets’ missing action on methane}}, institution = {Changing Markets Foundation}, year = {2026}, month = apr, url = {https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Shelved-Again-Supermarkets-Missing-Action-on-Methane.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }