Sourcing with integrity

Sourcing with integrity

By 'Sourcing with integrity', we aim to provide our customers with quality products at a fair price, in a way that's better for the animals, farmers, growers and workers involved, and which minimises our impact on the environment.

We do this by forming partnerships with our suppliers that help them to raise environmental and social standards, and move towards real sustainability. In practice this means working with them to consider all of the economic, environmental and social impacts of their activities.

These days, for supermarkets and food producers, sourcing with integrity is increasing in importance and is a major talking point. The public, and particularly our customers, are much more interested in where food and other products come from, and how they are made. They expect us to work very closely with the farmers and growers who supply us and this is exactly what we are doing.

In total we offer over 30,000 products in our stores - so sourcing is a complicated and challenging task. We therefore run a series of Development Group initiatives designed to help our farmers and suppliers produce more sustainably. ( Read more about our Development Groups) We also have a team of agriculture, sustainability and health experts specifically working on the sourcing and sustainability of the products we sell.

Sainsbury's has always supported British farming. We have done so for over 140 years. As such, we always aim to offer British products at their best, when they are in season, and when the quality is as our customers expect. For farmers who supply us from other parts of the world, we work to help them improve their skills, and look to the long term sustainability of their land, crops and businesses.

As the world's largest retailer of Fairtrade products, we know we make a positive difference, not simply by buying produce, but by paying Fairtrade premiums to farmers so they can improve local schools, healthcare and infrastructure.

We're always looking for new suppliers of British food. We are interested in finding new and different foods, from suppliers large, medium or small. Foods that have an interesting heritage and, more importantly, taste great. Find out more on our Supply something new site.

Commitments and progress

Sustainably sourced raw materials
Our commitment By 2020, we'll source all of our key raw materials and commodities sustainably to an independent standard.	Our progress to date First British supermarket to stock a food product (our Basics Fishfingers) using palm oil from certified Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) sources. In 2010, 93 per cent of the wood used for Sainsbury's products was made from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or recycled sources. Already over 12 per cent of our own brand products are from independently certified sources, such as the Marine Stewardship Council, Fairtrade and Freedom Foods.
No deforestation
Our commitment By 2020, our own brand products won't contribute to global deforestation.	Our progress to date Founding member of the WWF Global Forest and Trade Network (GFTN). Partnership with Woodland Trust - the UK's leading woodland conservation charity - we donate two pence from every Woodland chicken we sell, and one penny from every dozen Woodland eggs. This partnership has led to more than 500,000 trees being planted. Sector leader in the Forest Footprint Disclosure.
Sustainable fish
Our commitment By 2020, all the fish we sell will be independently certified as sustainable and we'll strengthen our position as the leading retailer for sustainable seafood.	Our progress to date Britain's biggest retailer of sustainable fish. All of our own brand canned tuna is pole and line caught. Greenpeace has rated us as number one in its 'Tinned tuna league table' for two years in a row. We have developed our sustainability rating system for wild caught fish with input from our supply base, environmental organisations and fisheries scientists. All of our wild salmon sold is MSC-certified, including canned wild salmon. All our own brand farmed salmon is sourced to RSPCA Freedom Food welfare standards and from Scottish salmon farms.
No.1 for Fairtrade
Our commitment By 2020, our sales of fairly traded products will hit £1 billion.	Our progress to date We will work towards converting 100 per cent of our instant coffee, rice, pineapple, chocolate, avocados, preserves, beans and pulses to Fairtrade. We will continue to work with our branded suppliers to encourage them to switch to more fairly traded products. We will continue to support farmers and growers through our Fair Development Fund. We will continue to support producers in order to build sustainable businesses and secure futures for themselves and their families.
Best for British
Our commitment By 2020, we'll double the amount of British food we sell.	Our progress to date First retailer to use 100 per cent British flour in our own-label sliced bread, matching our commitment for our in-store bakeries. Many own brand products are already 100 per cent British all year round including - fresh chicken, eggs, milk and sausages. Largest retailer of British apples and pears in the UK; a third of all British pears bought in the UK are sold through our stores. Developed Concept Orchards to increase British varieties, yields and to extend the fruit seasons. Worked with over 3,000 British farmers through our Development Groups and Crop Sustainability Groups to promote best practice, including around carbon footprint, and to raise environmental and welfare standards.
No. 1 for animal welfare
Our commitment By 2020, all our meat, poultry, eggs, game and dairy products will be sourced from suppliers who adhere to independent higher welfare standards.	Our progress to date First major retailer to stop selling eggs from caged hens. Only retailer to offer higher welfare Woodland eggs and chickens. UK's leading retailer, with almost 60 per cent market share, of Freedom Food selling over 300 lines that meet the strict welfare standards devised and monitored by the RSPCA.
Improve supplier standards
Our commitment By 2020, our suppliers will also be leaders in meeting or exceeding our social and environmental standards.	Our progress to date Launched a supplier environmental scorecard to track and measure supplier environmental footprints. Launched our Carbon Academy to train 20,000 suppliers, contractors and colleagues to reduce our carbon footprint by 2020. Since 2006 we have invested over £30 million in developing our relationships with farmers and growers, initially with our Dairy Development Group and more recently broadening out to cover our main agricultural supply chains. Founding member of the Ethical Trading Initiative.