Stop & Shop highlights sustainability efforts for Earth Day

PURCHASE, N.Y. — Stop & Shop is marking Earth Day on Monday by emphasizing the measures it has taken to reduce its effects on the environment, the Ahold USA-owned supermarket banner said.

Stop & Shop highlighted its efforts to sell sustainably sourced seafood, reducing the environmental effects of its store operations — including adding environmentally friendly design features to stores — and helping customers reduce waste. The chain reiterated its intention to reduce its carbon footprint by 20% by 2015.

"From recycling initiatives to building sustainable stores, Stop & Shop continues to support meaningful, mutually beneficial partnerships that help bring green behavior into the workplace," Stop & Shop New York Metro Division president Don Sussman said. "We believe that the principles of Earth Day should be celebrated each and every day of the year."

By 2020, the company hopes to have "zero waste," defined as 90% of waste that would otherwise go to landfills and incinerators go instead to organic recycling, such as food donations and repurposing food that can't be donated as livestock feed, compost or biomass for electricity.