We step up efforts to reduce the environmental footprint of breakfast cereal production and consumption

OUR COMMITMENTS

We will contribute towards reducing the environmental impact of breakfast cereal products, including by working together with farmers to promote the uptake of regenerative agriculture principles and practices and optimising production processes within our operations.

We will step up progress towards circular and sustainability packaging and the reduction of food waste along the supply chain.

Policy enablers

We ask policymakers to support farmers in the uptake of regenerative agriculture to make breakfast cereals more sustainable while remaining accessible.

We ask policymakers to encourage overall food waste reduction and to improve understanding of date marking. Packaging waste, sustainability and labelling measures should be harmonised to ensure the free flow of goods.

REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

Companies are continuing to reduce their emissions, transitioning to renewable sources of energy, and improving the efficiency of their production processes. For example, all Cereal Partners Worldwide (CPW) manufacturing sites in the EU and the UK purchase 100% renewable electricity. Kellogg sources 100% renewable grid electricity in Europe and has reduced its Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 28% globally since 2015. Brüggen KG has reduced its gas consumption in Lübeck by 14% and its electricity consumption by 8% in 2020 compared to 2018 based on the produced volumes. The carbon dioxide emissions impact was reduced by 8% compared to the previous year.

Responsible sourcing

Responsible sourcing is about increasing local cultivation, or supporting local farmers in implementing sustainable agricultural practices, and participating in alliances to reduce the impact of cultivation globally. Good examples are the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, the Rainforest Alliance, Fair Trade and organic certification (Brüggen), awareness-raising campaigns around oats (oat millers in Germany), CPW’s “Préférence” Programme in support of French farmers, and Kellogg’s Origins programme helping Spanish farmers to step up sustainability practices.

PACKAGING REDUCTION AND RECYCLABILITY

Packaging reduction and recyclability is about stepping up recyclability of packaging, increasing recycling availability for people, and using less resources to produce packaging. For example, 98.5% of CPW’s cereal packaging in Europe is recyclable or recyclable by design, with plans in place to achieve 100% in 2025. Both Kellogg and CPW have launched new types of cereal boxes with reduced packaging. Kellogg now uses 190t less cardboard and plastic annually. CPW in the UK has reduced packaging material by 15% and road miles by 115,000, corresponding to 178t less carbon dioxide per year.

global initiatives

Several CEEREAL members are engaged in global initiatives, such as:

The Champions 12.3 initiative aims to halve food loss and waste by 2030, as per the Sustainable Development Goal 12.3. Companies in partnership with food suppliers act together to tackle the issue from farm to fork.

The Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) platform brings together 120 companies and organisations to ensure that the agricultural commodities and ingredients they use are supplied from sustainable sources.