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Highland Spring Group’s UK operations certified carbon neutral  

Highland Spring Group’s UK operations certified carbon neutral  

Highland Spring Group said it has achieved its target of achieving carbon neutrality across UK operations.

The Carbon Trust has certified the business as carbon neutral for its UK operation’s 2019 baseline period (scope 1 & 2 market-based emissions and scope 3 business travel), in accordance with the internationally recognised PAS 2060.


“I am pleased that we are announcing carbon neutral status in line with our ambition to achieve this target before the end of 2021. This is one element of our sustainability strategy, and we are working hard to continue to reduce our environmental footprint across all areas of the business,” Simon Oldham, joint managing director at Highland Spring Group, said.

“We remain fully focused on becoming net zero by 2040 and will continue to take actions that ensure we are creating a positive impact for people, society and the planet.”

A leading producer of natural source waters, Highland Spring Group said its primary efforts continue to focus on permanent emissions reductions. Key steps taken by the business to reduce its organisational footprint include purchasing electricity from 100% renewable sources, with 100% of electricity at all UK sites supplied from these sources by the end of 2021, and the implementation of a number of energy saving initiatives.

To neutralise its impact in the immediate term, the group has also offset residual emissions by purchasing Gold Standard offsets to achieve carbon neutrality.

As part of their overall journey to net zero, the company said it will now work towards a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030, versus 2019 baseline, and a target of net zero emissions by 2040, five years ahead of the Scottish government’s proposed 2045 target, and 10 years ahead of the UK government’s deadline.

The business is working with Carbon Intelligence to develop an emissions reduction roadmap and set credible and robust science-based targets. The group has also signed-up to the United Nation’s ‘Race to Zero’ campaign.

Highland Spring was the first brand to introduce a 100% recycled and recyclable bottle in the UK, and for the last 20 years has achieved organic accreditation from The Soil Association for its protected water catchment area.

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Indies: It’s criminal police and government turn blind eye to shoplifting

Independent retailers are demanding tougher police action, more bobbies on the beat and harsher punishments as shoplifting levels reach an all-time high, a new survey reveals.

A whopping ninety-one per cent of respondents to a survey conducted by the Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) called for more police patrols on streets, while a similar number - 90 per cent - said that shoplifters should be handed harsher sentences.

Seven out of 10 respondents (72 per cent) said their stores had experienced shoplifting, break ins and damage to property, while they and their staff had been physically or verbally threatened.

Just under half of respondents (47 per cent) said they and their employees had been threatened or had suffered abuse and violence when asking for proof of age ahead of selling an age-restricted product.

Forty-four per cent reported that they and their staff had faced abuse or violence because they had refused to make a proxy sale – selling an age restricted product to a customer buying for a minor.

The results of the Fed’s survey came as new figures from the Office of National Statistics revealed that shoplifting was at a record high, with almost half a million offences recorded last year.

According to the ONS, 469,788 offences were logged by forces in the year to June 2024 – a 29 per cent increase on the previous 12 months.

The ONS added that this figure was the highest since records began – in March 2003.

“Inadequate responses from the police and a slap on the wrist for offenders means that shoplifting is soaring, and offenders are becoming more aggressive and brazen,” said Fed National President Mo Razzaq.

“From the responses we received, it is clear that real action is needed by police, by courts and by the government to stem the overwhelming tide of crime against retailers and their staff. Everyone deserves to feel safe at work and for their businesses to be protected against criminals.

“Fed members are also sending a clear message that one of the catalysts for verbal and physical abuse in stores is asking for proof of age before selling an age restricted product. If the government presses ahead with its plans to phase out smoking and vaping through a progressive ban to gradually end the sale of tobacco products across the country, independent retailers will be subject to even greater levels of violence, abuse and theft.”

Calling for action from the government and not just words, Mr Razzaq continued: “Without effective deterrent, criminals and opportunistic members of the public will continue to commit crimes.”

According to Ministry of Justice statistics, during the year to March 2024, 431 fines were handed out for retail theft under £100, while Home Office statistics for the same period show that 2,252 cautions were accepted for shoplifting.

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