Mercadona reaffirmed its commitment to the planet with a steadfast pledge, Yes to continue to care about the planet. It advances Strategy 6.25, aimed at cutting plastic use and improving waste management, while strengthening its proven systems for reusing and recycling commercial packaging.
The strategy outlines six concrete actions designed to deliver a triple goal by 2025: cut plastic in packaging by 25 percent, ensure all plastic containers are recyclable, and recycle all plastic waste generated in its operations.
Already, the company has eliminated single-use plastic bags across sections, replacing them with compostable vegetable-origin bags (3,200 tons per year). Disposable plastic products have been removed and swapped with kitchenware crafted from more environmentally friendly materials (3,000 tons per year saved). Mercadona and its suppliers are also improving packaging recyclability, such as in fruit porridge family products, now using recyclable single-material packaging; or Patatas bravas, where the container’s bottom has been replaced with a transparent base to assist optical detection at the sorting facility, placing it in the yellow recycling stream a step ahead.
3Rs
Mercadona focuses on reducing plastic in its own branded packaging and on virgin materials by pursuing several approaches. These include eliminating non-value-added plastic, substituting it with other materials without compromising food quality or safety, and increasing reuse or the incorporation of recycled content. The company continues to promote a circular economy.
Additionally, Mercadona progressively enhances the information it provides on recycling packaging pictograms, helping customers sort waste correctly for later recycling, both in stores and at home.
The company encourages ongoing shifts toward a circular economy and the reuse of materials and resources, seeking more sustainable and innovative options. Examples include an extra virgin olive oil spray; plastic-reduced labeling in the complete family double-format pizzas, achieving a 23 percent reduction in plastic (170 tons per year). Other cases replace plastic with alternative materials, such as Thai chili sauce. The transition from plastic to glass saved 33 tons per year, as did hazelnut-cocoa cream and mayonnaise, while car air fresheners moved from plastic to cardboard (27 tons per year).
Another strategy to cut unprocessed plastic involves adding recycled plastic to packaging, giving second life to raw materials. Kitchen paper and toilet paper now use 33 percent recycled plastic in their bags, saving 174 tons and 421 tons per year respectively.
Mercadona also embraces packaging refills and prevention, such as hand soap and facial creams, thereby avoiding the use of about 90 tons of virgin plastic.
Investment of more than 140 million euros
In recent years, the company has concentrated on the first two actions of the plan and meeting standards while transforming all headquarters into Store 6.25 concepts. This transformation required a 30 million euro investment.
Implementing Strategy 6.25 necessitates changes across processes, including future packaging redesigns in collaboration with suppliers, store and logistics adaptations, and waste management redesigns. It is part of a bold cross-functional plan affecting all areas of the business, with a projected investment of more than 140 million euros by 2025 to execute all initiatives.
Last year, Mercadona converted all its stores to the Store 6.25 model, introducing new section bags, clearer pictograms on containers to aid waste separation, and recycling bins in sections, including appetizers and Ready-to-Eat. Waste management for this model has been expanded to include a coffee capsule collection system.
Mercadona’s commitment to proper waste management is evident in its reverse logistics and commercial packaging program, which recycles and reuses plastic films. This approach reduces the need for disposable materials by more than 180,000 tons annually and supports reusable shopping bags.
Strategy 6.25
This reuse and recycling framework, already well established within the company, prevents food waste and redistributes leftovers. Strategy 6.25 enables Mercadona to recover more than 267,000 tons of recyclable materials each year, feeding production cycles and boosting progress in collaboration with managers of the Circular Economy.
The initiative began in 2019 with involvement from employees across the organization. A cross-functional team coordinates action areas, drawing participants from stores, purchasing, prescription, IT, logistics, legal, finance, and foreign relations. The team continues to drive the program forward.
Mercadona communicates details of Strategy 6.25 through the Take care of the planet section, including information for customers about recycling, sustainability, and environmental commitment. The company’s Environment report also highlights these efforts.