Sainsbury's opens first 'Triple Zero' stores

Supermarket chain Sainsbury's has opened two new stores which it is calling 'Triple Zero'.

One of the new locations, in Leicester in the UK, features many new technologies to ensure no carbon emissions are released, no waste is sent to landfill and no impact on the water usage of the local area.

All of the store's electricity and heating will come from an onsite generator. Biogas required for the store will be imported into the network from one of the company's Dairy Development Group farmer's anaerobic digestion facilities in West Sussex, creating a closed loop cycle.

The company's other Triple Zero store is located in Weymouth Gateway.

Neil Sachdev, Sainsbury's property director, says: 'We aim to be the UK's greenest grocer and achieve our 20x20 target to reduce our operational carbon emissions by 30% absolute. To do this we're now building and running highly sustainable, low carbon stores. Our new "Triple Zero" stores are examples of how we're achieving this, by using power generated by waste in our supply chain.'

Sainsbury's does not send any waste to landfill; any surplus food that is not suitable for consumption is used to generate energy through anaerobic digestion. All general waste is recycled or turned into fuel.