How PepsiCo is Making its Vehicle Fleets more Sustainable
Companies covering all industries are working round the clock to ensure their operations are being run in a more sustainable fashion.
Crucial to this is adapting vehicle fleets in order to lower their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions output and ultimately, contribute to a more eco-friendly society.
PepsiCo, the food and drink powerhouse, is among those playing a big part in this global effort.
The organisation is expanding the use of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) diesel across its supply chain, including when it comes to the transportation of Walkers – Britain’s most popular crisps – around the UK.
In partnership with Stobart, trucks powered by HVO are being used to transport Walkers products from its distribution centre in Leicester, East Midlands, to retailers up and down the country.
It’s estimated the move will save the business an additional 13,000 tonnes in GHG emissions by the end of 2024 when compared to using conventional diesel to travel the same distances.
“Scaling up our use of HVO-powered trucks to transport our Walkers crisps all over the country is a significant further step in our decarbonisation journey,” explains Simon Devaney, Sustainability Director at PepsiCo UK & Ireland.
“By continuing to invest in green logistics initiatives with trusted partners, we’re moving even closer to our goal of net zero by 2040.”
PepsiCo laser-focused on net-zero target
As certified by Zemo Partnership, every kilometre powered by HVO generates 85% less GHG emissions when compared with conventional diesel, reducing the impact of these journeys on the planet as products make their way to customers.
Across the remainder of this year, Walkers crisps will be transported from PepsiCo’s Leicester site to retailers using five million litres of HVO – fuelling more than 11 million miles of HGV truck journeys in the UK.
It serves as the latest in a series of green initiatives announced by PepsiCo over the past couple of years aimed at expanding the use of HVO fuel across the organisation.
On British soil, HVO has already replaced diesel on trucks travelling between the Quaker Oats mill in Cupar and Walkers’ home in Leicester, as well as on routes between various farms and Leicester.
This means low-carbon HVO is being used to power 40% of the transportation used to make and deliver Walkers crisps. PepsiCo’s total miles running on HVO fuel equates to 14 million this year, saving more than 16,000 tonnes in GHG emissions.
PepsiCo Positive, the company’s transformation programme, includes a goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2040. The multinational is also supporting the decarbonisation goals of its partner, Stobart, as it works towards achieving science-based targets.
“This important initiative will help Stobart and PepsiCo to jointly decarbonise their supply chains by more than 13,000 tonnes of carbon this year alone,” adds David Pickering, CEO at Stobart.
“We’re now actively working on further initiatives with PepsiCo to continue accelerating our decarbonisation journey.”
PepsiCo not alone is making HVO transition
PepsiCo is the latest in an increasingly long line of companies to invest in or make the transition to using HVO.
Logistics giant XPO is among those successfully deploying HVO, as well as electric-powered vehicles, within its 4PL and transport control tower operations.
Trials were initially implemented across test routes comprising almost 3,000 miles in the UK and Ireland, resulting in an emissions reduction of more than 4,000kg of CO2.
Meanwhile, PostNL and its international subsidiary, Spring, have been utilising HVO for international road transport within Europe, marking a unique and substantial advancement in the context of the sector.
The pair, in collaboration with partners, are adding around four million litres of HVO100 to Europe’s diesel network for road transport, ensuring a reduction of 12 kilotonnes of carbon emissions annually.
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