Euro Coop and Coop Italia: Partners in Sustainable Energy Initiatives

Euro Coop takes pride in partnering with Coop Italia in its participation in the "M’illumino di meno" initiative, recognizing the vital role of co-operatives in driving sustainable development. With the active participation of Coop Ukraine, Coop Norge and Central Co-op, European consumer co-operatives reaffirm their commitment to fostering a greener and more resilient future.

For nearly two decades, Coop Italia has been a steadfast advocate for sustainable practices, notably through its participation in "M’illumino di meno," the national day dedicated to energy conservation and sustainable living. Originating in 2005 through a collaboration between Rai Radio2 and the Caterpillar program, this initiative has grown to become a pillar of environmental awareness across Italy. This February 16th, over 1,000 Coop stores across Italy will once again heed the call by switching off all non-essential lights, observing a symbolic "energy silence," and broadcasting Caterpillar's live radio program through Radio Coop.

However, this year holds special significance as Coop Italia extends its invitation to fellow European co-operatives through Euro Coop, the consumer co-operatives representative body in Brussels. Joining forces with consumer co-operatives in Ukraine, boasting a network of 15,000 stores and 155,000 members, as well as the northernmost Coop in Europe, situated on Norway's Svalbard Islands in the Arctic Ocean, this collaborative effort exceeds borders in a common commitment to environmental responsibility. Additionally, Central Co-op has joined the call, one of the biggest independent co-operatives in the UK with more than 400 stores all over the country.

In parallel with these collective actions, Coop Italia continues its unwavering dedication to enhancing energy efficiency within its operations. The adoption of low-consumption LED lighting in over 560 supermarkets, hypermarkets, and parking lots has resulted in substantial energy savings, estimated at over 74 million kWh annually, and a reduction of more than 18,000 tons of CO2 emissions. Moreover, the integration of photovoltaic systems into Coop Italia's infrastructure has further solidified its position as a leader in sustainability. 

Since 2012, Coop Italia, alongside INRES, the national consortium for Coop retail structure design, has spearheaded the "Energy Project" aimed at optimizing energy consumption across Coop stores. Through this initiative, encompassing over 610 stores, an impressive 555.5 million kWh of energy have been saved to date, equivalent to mitigating over 136,000 tons of CO2 emissions.

More