Dutch and German supermarkets are leading the way when it comes to how well their climate plans align with the Paris Agreement, as well as their efforts to shift protein sales toward plant-based options, a new study has found.
The Superlist Environment Europe 2026 report assessed the climate performance of 27 supermarkets across eight countries, including France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK.
Across all markets, seven supermarkets had published detailed roadmaps as to how they plan to reduce emissions, while two thirds of retailers recognised the importance of encouraging consumers to shift to plant-based diets.
Top performers
Lidl was a strong performer, with Lidl Netherlands topping the list and Lidl Poland (2nd), Lidl Germany (5th) and Lidl Spain (6th) also near the top of the list. Dutch retailers Albert Heijn and Jumbo placed third and fourth, respectively.
Other top-ten performers included REWE (7th), Aldi Süd (8th), Denner (9th) and Migros (10th)
The report also highlighted a number of gaps in the majority of supermarkets’ climate performance – just five retailers reported reductions in overall emissions, while most either reported an increase in emissions, or lacked accurate reporting on this subject.
‘Rebalance protein sales’
While some supermarkets have taken the lead in terms of encouraging the switch to plant based options, one in three retailers – notably in France, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and the UK – has yet to take action in this area.
“In Europe we eat too much protein and not enough fibre,” commented Nico Muzi, co-founder and chief programmes officer at Madre Brava, one of the groups behind the report. “That’s why doctors and nutritionists recommend eating more fruit, veg and legumes and less meat.
“Supermarkets can play a positive role in meeting this challenge by setting targets to rebalance protein sales to sell more plants. By looking after their customers’ health, they’re also looking after the planet and their own business interests, as more plants means lower emissions and lower costs.
“So far, the Dutch and German retailers are leading the way. We urge the British, Spanish and French retailers to catch up and ensure good, healthy food is affordable to all.”
The Superlist Environment Europe 2026 report was produced by think tank Questionmark in partnership with WWF Netherlands, Madre Brava, ProVeg International, and European sustainability ambassadors including Changing Markets, Climate Action Network France, PAN DACH, RoślinnieJemy, Spanish Vegetarian Union and The Food Foundation. Read more here.
