Friday 20 November 2009

Response from Tesco regarding fuel

I have received a response from Tesco about what percentage of their fuel is made up of palm oil. In the same e-mail I also told them I was switching all my on-line shopping to Sainsbury's but they haven't replied about that.

Using this as a base, I can now write to other fuel suppliers to see if they can be any more precise about how much palm oil is in their petrol/diesel. This might be one area that I can't avoid palm oil. I don't drive anywhere myself but I do get a lift to my market stall every Saturday in a diesel car and of course, all the delivery vehicles bringing items to me for my business, my groceries, on-line shopping etc. all use fuel so I can't absolve myself of responsibility in this area. There may be one supplier that's better than the others so I'll see if I can find out which ... Anyway, here's what Tesco say about their fuel

Thank you for your patience

I received the following response this morning regarding the usage of Palm Oil in our bio fuels regrettably, they've not given me a percentage figure.

In 2005 we decided to sell biofuels as we believed that they could help customers reduce their carbon footprint and decrease our use of fossil fuels. Since then, EU legislation has made 5% biofuel obligatory in regular fuels.

We do use some palm oil in the production of our biofuels. However, we are continually seeking to reduce the amount of palm oil we use by supplementing it with other vegetable oils, such as waste tallow.

All major fuel companies are also members of the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and are committed to sustainably sourcing palm oil used in biofuels.
Greenergy (www.greenergy.com), which supplies almost 50% of our fuel requirements, has been praised for its work in developing biofuel sustainability criteria and audit programmes.

I appreciate that this will not have been the answer you hoped for and I'm sorry that I can't get you a more detailed response. I do hope this information will be of some help to you.

4 comments:

  1. Well done on sticking the knife into Tesco's on their use of Palm Oil in their biofuel.

    I have also had a go in the past - see:

    http://kevsclimatecolumn.blogspot.com/

    Also, after the last campaign against Tescos, I prepared a report for them against the use of biofuel - however they continue to sell the damn stuff

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  2. Thanks for your interest and comment, Kev. I have put myself down as a Follower on your blog and will have a good old read later on. I’m about to start work for the day (I work from home). I’ll be cranking my campaigning up again next week.

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  3. Hi Sue, saw you are down as a follower. Give me a phone and I will tell you what we are up to and to see if you want to get involved. Mobile is 07768 991063

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  4. Hi again, Kev. I don't really "do" phone calls (long story). But now I'm a follower, your postings on your blog will come up in my Blogger Dashboard which I check most days so I can let you know there if you're up to anything I'd like to join in. I tend to be more of a letter/e-mail writer/buoycotter than a demonstrator.

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