All of the decisions we make are based on financial, environmental and social sustainability.
Here are just a few examples of how we care for the environment and minimise our footprint -
Renewable energy
We have installed 696 solar panels across our businesses generating 403 tonnes of avoided emissions annually. Panels are installed at Wauchope IGA + Liquor, Sovereign Place IGA + Liquor, Timbertown IGA + Liquor, Wauchope Department Store, Mitre 10 & CRT Wauchope and Comboyne Rural Store.
Return and Earn reverse vending machine
By recycling bottles, cans and cartoons, you're helping the environment and earning along the way.
Return and Earn is the rewarding way to recycle drink containers - every container returned makes an impact.
We are associated with two return and earn vending machines at -
- 231 Oxley Highway, Wauchope
- Hibbard Sports, 52 Boundary Street, Port Macquarie
Battery recycling
We've partnered with Ecobatt to promote and facilitate the collection of batteries across our four IGA supermarkets. Battery recycling units can be found at Wauchope IGA + Liquor, Timbertown IGA + Liquor, Sovereign Place IGA + Liquor and Port Macquarie IGA (Growers Market Complex). This is a great initiative to keep batteries out of landfill and help keep our environment cleaner for the next generation.
Food rescue
Our four IGAs (Wauchope, Timbertown, Sovereign Place and Port Macquarie) have partnered with OzHarvest, and in the last three months alone (July to September 2022) have provided over 1,800 meals to people in need.
OzHarvest was founded in 2004 by Ronni Kahn AO, after noticing the huge volume of food going to waste from her events business. Ronni did not set out to start a charity, rather just fix an obvious problem with a simple solution. Starting with one van in Sydney, she began rescuing food and delivering it to local charities.
From humble beginnings, OzHarvest has become a leading food rescue organisation on a mission to ‘Nourish our Country’ by stopping good food from going to waste and delivering it to charities that help feed people in need.
General recycling
Where possible our four IGAs (Wauchope, Timbertown, Sovereign Place and Port Macquarie) use recyclable trays in both our meat and produce departments. We also bundle up all of our cardboard and paper and have collected for recycling.
