Waitrose became the latest grocery retailer to jump on the green bandwagon this week when parent company the John Lewis Partnership pledged to source 100% of its energy from renewable sources by October.

The move will cover all 183 Waitrose supermarkets and 26 John Lewis department stores, as well as the group's network of distribution centres and corporate offices.

Sir Stuart Hampson, chairman, said it would achieve its target by using a combination of wind, hydro, wave and biomas sources, with the help of power supplier EDF Energy. He also announced a Sustainable Construction Framework, which all new-build and refurbished stores will meet.

Sir Stuart said: "The framework lays down immediate, practical steps for the way we intend, starting now, to deliver new buildings and refurbishment projects."

The framework sets out clear objectives and principles for each stage of a store's construction lifecycle, starting with a Sustainability Action Plan.

Sir Stuart said much of the framework had already been put into practice as part of the refurb of John Lewis' Oxford Street store this year. Old boilers, chillers, catering equipment and lighting had been replaced with more efficient technology, while new escalators that consumed less energy had been installed.

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