Supermarket Silence on Methane

Supermarkets love to talk about their climate commitments - net zero by 2050, reducing plastic, using renewable energy. But when it comes to the elephant (or rather, the cow) in the room - methane emissions from meat and dairy - they suddenly go quiet.  

A damning new report from the Changing Markets Foundation and Mighty Earth exposes how the world’s top 20 food retailers, including Tesco, Lidl, Walmart, and Carrefour, have completely failed to tackle methane in their supply chains. Not a single one monitors, reports, or sets reduction targets for their methane emissions - despite the fact that meat and dairy production accounts for a third of their total emissions.  

Methane

When people think of greenhouse gases, they think of carbon dioxide. But methane is 80 times more potent at trapping heat over a 20-year period. Unlike CO₂, which lingers in the atmosphere for centuries, methane is relatively short-lived. That means cutting methane emissions could slow global heating faster than almost anything else.  

The UN’s Global Methane Assessment says we need a 40-45% drop in methane emissions by 2030 to stay within 1.5°C of warming. Supermarkets are in a prime position to make that happen - but instead, they’re ignoring the problem entirely.  

The Numbers Don’t Lie

The Methane Action Tracker, which scores retailers on 18 key factors, including acknowledging methane’s impact, emissions reporting, and promoting plant-based proteins, paints a grim picture:

- 19 out of 20 retailers scored below 50%

- Tesco performed best, but even then, it only managed a pitiful 51 out of 100 points

- US supermarkets were the worst offenders, showing a “stark lack of climate accountability and ambition”  

Despite nine of these companies pledging to reach net zero by 2050, their lack of action on methane makes those promises meaningless PR fluff.  

The Loophole Supermarkets Use

Most of these retailers proudly announce efforts to cut their Scope 1 and 2 emissions - things like switching to renewable energy for stores or improving refrigeration efficiency. But they conveniently ignore the real problem:  

Scope 3 emissions - the indirect emissions from their supply chains - make up a staggering 93% of European supermarkets’ climate impact, with meat and dairy accounting for almost half of that. Yet, only six out of 20 retailers even have Scope 3 emissions reduction targets.  

Companies like Walmart and Kroger proudly promote their net-zero plans while completely dodging any responsibility for the methane spewing from their supply chains.  

A Problem That Can’t Be Ignored Any Longer

The consequences of this inaction aren’t just hypothetical. If meat and dairy emissions remain unchecked, they could increase global temperatures by an additional 0.32°C by 2050 - a disaster for an already overheating planet.  

Some retailers do acknowledge the impact of animal agriculture. Eleven out of 20 supermarkets admit that meat and dairy contribute significantly to climate change. Eight even mention methane - but not a single one is actually tracking and reducing those emissions.  

The hypocrisy doesn’t stop there. While European supermarkets are at least investing in plant-based options, US retailers are dragging their feet. Most American supermarkets have no own-brand plant-based lines, despite rising demand for alternatives. Meanwhile, Dutch retailers are leading the way, with a target of 60% plant-based protein sales by 2030 - a goal most other countries should be aiming for.  

Consumers Are Being Misled 

Retailers hold immense power in shaping food choices through pricing, marketing, and availability. Just as they’ve driven awareness around single-use plastics, they could be just as transparent about the climate impact of their products.  

But they won’t.  

Because if consumers realised that half of a supermarket’s emissions come from meat and dairy, they might start making different choices. They might start questioning why the highest-emission products still get the biggest promotions and subsidies.

What Needs to Happen Now

The report calls on supermarkets to:  

✅ Set methane reduction targets - at least 30% by 2030  

✅ Publicly report methane emissions annually

✅ Shift to 60% plant-based protein sales by 2030

✅ Stop pretending that net-zero plans mean anything without tackling Scope 3 emissions

Supermarkets can drive real change. They dictate supply chains, negotiate with producers, and influence what people buy. If they actually cared about their climate impact, they would prioritise plant-based foods and phase out the most damaging animal products.

Instead, they’re burying the problem - hoping consumers won’t notice.