Apolónia Supermarkets commit to sustainability on World Environment Day

Over the years, Apolónia supermarkets have been reinforcing their commitment to responsible and planet-friendly practices, investing daily in sustainability.

From energy efficiency to waste management, electric mobility and the fight against food waste, the company has been implementing a set of initiatives that reflect its environmental mission.

The lighting in the three Apolónia stores is all LED, having been transitioned from T8 tubular fluorescent lamps to a more efficient, long-lasting and sustainable option compared to traditional ones.

In Almancil, the Cold Storage Center was also updated at the end of last year, ensuring greater energy savings and a lower environmental impact.

By 2024, 36 percent of all stores' consumption will come from photovoltaic panels, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and the Algarve company's ecological footprint.

The preference for this clean energy has allowed, since the panels were implemented, to avoid the emission of approximately 1,670 tons of CO2, which is equivalent to the environmental benefit of planting 2,280 trees.

Also in 2024, Apolónia supermarkets recovered more than 346 tons of waste, an increase of 4.39 percent compared to the previous year. They used a greater quantity of recycled plastic in the trays, contributing 1.13 tons to the circular economy.

Customers and employees can also recycle batteries, light bulbs, coffee capsules and cork stoppers, as well as small household appliances, at collection points available in all stores.

In 2024 alone, 575.5 kilograms (kg) of batteries, 231 kg of light bulbs and 61.8 kg of electrical equipment were collected.

Thanks to the separation and recovery of waste, more than eight tons were diverted from landfills and transformed into energy.

And with a view to a future with fewer emissions, electric car chargers were implemented in stores, encouraging electric mobility among customers, employees and partners.

At the same time, 100 percent electric vehicles are being introduced into the company's fleet, which will reduce direct emissions from logistics and distribution operations, promoting more environmentally friendly corporate mobility.

According to Eurostat data, Portugal is the fourth country in the European Union that wastes the most food. Concerned about this problem, which puts a strong pressure on natural resources, Apolónia supermarkets have established partnerships with institutions with the aim of combating waste on a daily basis, namely with Banco Alimentar , Re-Food , Associação para o Planeamento da Família , Associação Social e Cultural de Almancil and Junta de Freguesia da Lagoa .