For the 23rd consecutive year, Food Lion has received the Energy Star Partner of the Year Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.
The grocery retailer is the only company in the U.S. to receive the distinctive honor for so long.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sponsors the annual Energy Star program, recognizing organizations for outstanding leadership and advocacy of energy preservation. Award recipients range from Fortune 500 companies to school districts. They are industry leaders in the production, sale and adoption of energy-efficient products, homes, buildings, services and strategies.
In 2023, Food Lion converted overhead lighting from fluorescent to LED in 224 stores. Today, 95 percent of the company’s 1,108 stores have more sustainable lighting, with upgrades planned in 2024 for the remaining locations. Lighting upgrades began in 2015 and have saved some 892 million kilowatt-hours.
In addition, Food Lion’s reduction in energy use since 2000 is equivalent to the CO2 emissions of 123,114 homes’ electricity consumption for one year.
“We created our commitment to sustainability around immense care for the towns and cities we serve and an energy-efficient future,” said Matt Yates, VP of brand strategy.
“By including the disciplines embedded in our DNA to turn the lights off when leaving a room and making sure freezer doors close completely not only establish good business practices, but also a solid framework to deepen our commitment to sustainability.”
Food Lion increased its allocation of funds for overhead LED lighting installation projects in stores by more than 13 percent in 2023 compared to the previous year.
More than 900 of Food Lion’s 1,108 stores are Energy Star certified, conserving energy and resources by generating fewer gas emissions than typical buildings. From a broader sustainability standpoint, the retailer is also reducing its carbon emissions footprint through recycling and food waste efforts.
Over the past year, Food Lion recycled more than 8,000 tons of plastic materials, while about 19,000 tons of food waste was diverted through methods including animal feed, anaerobic digestion and compost recycling.
“As we accelerate historic efforts to address climate change, public-private partnerships will be essential to realizing the scale of our ambition,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan.
“I applaud this year’s Energy Star award winners for working with EPA to deliver a clean energy future that saves American consumers and businesses money and creates jobs.”
About Food Lion
Food Lion is an omnichannel retailer with more than 82,000 employees across 1,108 stores throughout 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states.
Through Food Lion Feeds, the retailer has donated more than 1.2 billion meals to families since 2014 and has committed to donate 1.5 billion meals by 2025.
Founded and based in Salisbury, North Carolina, since 1957, Food Lion is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA, the U.S. division of Zaandam-based Ahold Delhaize.
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