In Carrefour stores, by implementing a number of water-saving solutions: these include water-saving taps or taps which are fitted with motion sensors, water-free urinals, rainwater butts and systems for watering green spaces, supplying toilets and cleaning floors – solutions which can reduce a hypermarket’s water consumption by up to 10%.
One of the best-known examples of this eco-construction initiative is the Escapade shopping centre in Chapelle-Saint-Luc (France), which is both HEQ and BREEAM certified (‘Good’ level). It provides its customers with high levels of comfort while featuring innovative new technologies that help save energy and water. And to help keep its water consumption down, water-saving devices in its toilets and 2 rainwater recovery tanks with total capacity of 160 m³ have been installed.
By integrating these solutions, the shopping centre and hypermarket have practically all the water they need for cleaning their floors, watering their green spaces and supplying their toilets. As a result, they are able to save the equivalent of one swimming pool’s worth of water every 2 years (25 x 10 m swimming pool). And to keep the consequences of waterproofing to a minimum: 9 underground tanks (4 retention ponds and 5 infiltration basins) with total capacity of 6000 m³ (the equivalent surface area of 34 tennis courts) mean that 100% of all rainwater can filter through to the ground
In the supply chain by supporting suppliers of Carrefour products in the ways in which they manage water, in particular through the specifications for “Carrefour Origin & Quality” products and with the sustainable development self-analysis tool made available to suppliers of Carrefour products. Some of the producers who supply products for the “Carrefour Origin & Quality” line, for example, use drip irrigation – an innovative method that prevents water from being wasted through evaporation. The winning supplier for the 2012 Sustainable Development Awards was recognised for this “ferti-irrigation” technique – a technique which has reduced water consumption in its young orchards by 30% over the last three years.
Through its range of Carrefour products, providing its customers with solutions designed to keep water consumption and pollution down to a minimum: water savers (mixer taps), rainwater butts, eco-labelled maintenance products, etc. Carrefour also runs regular awareness-raising activities for its customers as part of world water or wetlands days.
