Consumer Goods
This sector relates to the following sub-sectors: Apparel & Textiles, Consumer Discretionary Products, and Consumer Goods Retail
Consumer Goods Retail
Each section below relates to the TPT Disclosure Framework principles of Action and Accountability. The below provides further guidance for sub-elements 4.1 and 4.3. The TPT welcomes comments on this guidance to ensure it is as useful as possible for preparers and users. The text is open for comment until Friday, 24 November. Please select the feedback form at the bottom of the page. The final text will be updated in February.
This sub-sector includes companies involved multiline and speciality retailers & distributors and in e-commerce industries.
E-Commerce industry entities provide an online marketplace for other entities or individuals to sell their goods and services, as well as retailers and wholesalers that provide an exclusively web-based platform for consumers to buy goods and services.
Multiline and Specialty Retailers & Distributors industry encompasses a variety of retailing categories such as department stores, mass merchants, home products stores, and warehouse clubs, as well as a smaller segment of distributors like electronics wholesalers and automotive wholesalers. These entities (except for the distribution segment) commonly manage global supply chains to anticipate consumer demands, keep costs low and keep products stocked in their brick-and-mortar storefronts.
1. Optimise energy consumption1, 2, 3
- optimise operational efficiency and total consumption (transport, fuels, buildings, operations, logistics, IT infrastructure);
- integrate renewable energy sources into operations;
- electrify heating and cooling systems to reduce carbon footprints; and
- convert to refrigeration systems with lower GWP (Global Warming Potential) refrigerants.
2. Transform to low-GHG emissions logistics1, 2
- increase efficiency of operating LCV and HGV fleets, adopt renewable fuels, and shift to low-GHG emissions alternative HGVs as they emerge;
- shift to low-GHG emissions and electric LCVs (e.g. electric LCVs, e-cycle) and optimise route and loads; and
- advocate for modal shifts (e.g. from air freight to rail or sea).
3. Prioritise sustainable sourcing1, 2, 7
- certification and traceability for raw materials (e.g. timber products, cotton);
- assess and support suppliers in reducing product emissions (e.g. in Supplier Code of Conduct); and
- prioritise materials with a lower carbon footprint in products (e.g. sustainably sourced wood or organic cotton for in-house brands).
4. Implement circular practices and reduce waste1, 2, 6
- utilise 100% biodegradable products and packaging and/or circularity of products/packaging;
- foster the design and sale of products for easy disassembly and recyclability;
- reduce the volume of non-recyclable materials/products. Collaborate with upstream and downstream partners to boost innovations in recycling or repurposing product components; and
- measures to reduce emissions through product lifecycle (e.g. energy-efficient electronics or durable goods).
5. Drive low-GHG emission consumer choices1, 2
- consumer engagement campaigns to increase awareness and preference for low-GHG emissions and sustainable products;
- educate consumers on the environmental impact of their purchases; and
- highlight and promote eco-friendly product alternatives in stores and on online platforms.
- total energy consumed, disaggregated across:2
- buildings;
- logistics; and
- refrigerants.
- energy efficiency over floor space (kWh per m2);2
- share of energy sourced from renewables (%);2
- proportion of low-GHG emissions vehicles (%);2
- total fuel consumed for transport (GJ);2
- percentage from zero-emissions fuels (%);2
- percentage deforestation-linked primary commodities sourced as deforestation and conversion free (by volume);2,3
- companies commit that a percentage of suppliers, by spend or emissions, will have SBTis in place by a specific date;2
- target for 100% biodegradable, compostable, recyclable, or reusable packaging5,6; and
- target for 100% recycled or sustainably sourced packaging content5,6.
- As retail is a heterogeneous sector, different emission intensity metrics are applicable to different activities of the entity1,2:
- buildings (gCO2/m2); and
- logistics (gCO2e/tonne.km); and
- refrigerants (gCO2e leaked/kg refrigerant in cold equipment).
- targets for carbon efficiency performance across the product lifecycle in alignment with the GHG Protocol’s Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard1.
Consumer discretionary retail literature
1. Assessing Low Carbon Transition (ACT) Initiative, Retail methodology, 2019
2. British Retail Consortium, Climate Action Roadmap
3. CDP, Climate Change Reporting Guidance, 2022
4. IFRS, [Draft] Industry-based Guidance on Implementing IFRS S2, 2022
5. WRAP, Carbon Waste and Resource Metric, 2021
6. WWF, WWF Basket Metric – Tesco, 2022
Your feedback
The TPT welcomes comments on the Sector Summary to ensure it is as useful as possible for preparers and users. The Sector Summary was open for comment until Friday 24 November and, following consideration of the feedback received, will be updated in February. Thank you to the industry experts who provided comments.
