British brewers slash CO2 emissions and energy consumption after sustainability drive

The British brewing industry has slashed its CO2 emissions by 42% across the last decade, reducing the amount of carbon dioxide produced by 202,952 tonnes.

Research carried out by the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) found that across the period from 2008 to 2018, the energy used to produce a pint also lowered, falling by 20%, while the water required to brew a hectolitre of beer has fallen to an average of 3.5 hectoliters.

Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the BBPA, said: "Britain's brewing and pub sectors are amongst the oldest and most revered around the world. To maintain this reputation, we must brew our beer and serve our pub-goers in a sustainable way.

"From reducing emissions to lowering waste, Britain's breweries and pubs are determined to be world leaders in environmental sustainability and meet the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals."

Separate data has also borne out the improvements made in the industry. Research by the Environment Agency found that the UK industry now recovers and reuses 98% of its waste according to information compiled by individual pub operators.

Simon Townsend, Ei Group chief executive, said: "As the UK's largest pub company, becoming a greener business is of fundamental importance to us and we have introduced a number of tailored initiatives across our managed and leased and tenanted divisions to reduce our environmental impact.

"As consumer focus on sustainable purchasing and responsible business increases, so does our continual pursuit of reducing energy consumption across our estate through adopting forward-thinking green initiatives. These include offering electric car charging points in pub car parks and targeted upgrades to heating and cooling equipment in pubs."