Month: March 2023

Blackford 30^h March 2023: Highland Spring Group, one of the UK’s leading producers of natural source waters, confirms their science-based net-zero target has been approved by the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) under the new Net-Zero Standard.

In 2021, the business announced its ambitious climate target to reach net-zero emissions by 2040 and set credible and robust science-based targets. The Group continues to work collaboratively with suppliers to explore and maximise opportunities to reduce emissions across its entire operations, from source to shelf.

Simon Oldham, Managing Director, Highland Spring Group, said: “Since the business was founded over 40 years ago, our core purpose has been to provide healthy hydration in an environmentally sustainable way. The SBTi verification is an important milestone on our journey to net-zero and demonstrates our commitment to tackling climate change. We recognise the vital role companies must play in helping achieve transformation at the pace and scale needed to limit global warming to 1.5^oC and we will continue to work hard on our strategy to create a positive impact for people, society and the planet.”

Highland Spring Group’s targets are as follows:

Overall Net-Zero Target

• Highland Spring Group commits to reach net-zero Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions across the value chain by 2040 from a 2019 base year.

Near-Term Target

• Highland Spring Group commits to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 50% by 2030 from a 2019 base year. Highland Spring Group also commits to reduce absolute scope 3 GHG emissions 46.2% within the same timeframe.

Long-Term Target

• Highland Spring Group commits to reduce absolute scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions 90% by 2040 from a 2019 base year.

The business continues to go further through on its journey towards net zero with the introduction of innovative new projects including the recent launch of a new rail freight facility in Blackford which will remove 8,000 lorries from the road and contribute towards a CO2 reduction of 3,200 tonnes per annum.

‘Reducing waste and promoting a circular economy are key priorities for the NSWA and its members. This is why we have long been supporters of an effective deposit return scheme (DRS) in Scotland, and have worked extensively over the past three years with Zero Waste Scotland, Circularity Scotland and the Scottish Government on the scheme’s development. We look forward to continuing our work on the scheme with the First Minister’s new Government moving forward.

We would like to reiterate our commitment to a successful launch of this landmark environmental initiative on 16^th August. Our members, as responsible producers, have been planning for the scheme’s introduction for some time and have invested a significant amount of resource to ensure readiness.

It is our view that any move to exempt small producers or phase the introduction would create an unlevel playing field and cause huge consumer confusion, while creating additional complexities for producers and retailers. We believe DRS needs to remain an all-in scheme for both producers and retailers.

We would also like to underline our strong preference for the schemes to be aligned and interoperable across all four nations as far as possible. This will help reduce complexity and cost for consumers, producers and retailers, as well as diminish the risk of fraud.

We hope decision makers will focus on making DRS a success by maintaining a level playing field and ensuring the scheme can be delivered on time this summer.’

Kinvara Carey, General Manager, NSWA

The natural source waters category in the UK has grown in both value and volume demonstrating its resilience, despite ongoing supply challenges.

Simon Oldham, Managing Director of Highland Spring Group commented, “Up until the end of February, the category has been performing well, with an increase in volume of 1% and a value increase of 19.7%[i]. This positive performance from the healthiest option on the soft drinks shelf comes despite a myriad of pressures and shows the crucial role the category has to play in providing a healthy choice to consumers”.

Industry leaders came together today (22.03.23) to address key issues and recent challenges, as well as looking to the future, at the Zenith Global UK Water Drinks Conference 2023 in Central London. Last summer’s challenges which meant producers were unable to meet demand at peak times, CO₂ shortages, and priorities for a successful implementation of deposit return schemes (DRS) across the UK were all discussed, amongst other topics.

Keynote speaker, Henry Dimbleby MBE highlighted the role for water, “If people drank water instead of soft drinks, it would have a huge impact on the obesity crisis”.

Kinvara Carey, General Manager of the Natural Source Waters Association (NSWA), said, “Consumers receive confusing messages when it comes to choosing a healthy drink, as many contain more sugar or calories than perhaps expected. The NSWA and its members are working hard to tackle this and have invested £1.73 million in 2022 on initiatives which promote water as the healthiest option on the soft drinks shelf.

The planned introduction of a Deposit Return Schemes (DRS) for Scotland and the rest of the UK formed a major part of the day’s discussions. The NSWA and its members have long supported the introduction of an effective and well-designed DRS and have been working with the Scottish and UK Governments, and many others on their development. NSWA members support an all-in DRS, which must be aligned and interoperable across the UK.

NSWA members, representing approx. 60% of the category volumes

, said that they valued the opportunity to come together and discuss the major issues facing the category. “It is great to see the category continuing to recover after COVID but last year brought its own challenges with supply chain issues and the long hot summer making it challenging to keep up with the surge in demand. We’ve worked really hard so the category doesn’t face the same issues again this year. The ability to collaborate as members to discuss the key topics, challenges, and opportunities facing our sector particularly around health and sustainability is really valuable.”

[i] Neilsen data. 52 weeks ending 25^th February 2023