Dunns Food and Drinks invests £1.5m in sustainability measures

Dunns Food and Drinks is investing £1.5 million in a range of sustainability measures to support its net zero ambitions.

Julie Dunn: ‘The Scottish Government must continue to work with industry to create a realistic plan to help companies who want to do the right thing.’

The investment includes a £1 million energy-efficient CO2 freezer, solar panels, and LED lights with motion sensors. At the same time, on the 100-year anniversary of its first motor lorry hitting the streets, the company is set to trial an electric van as part of the Scottish Wholesale Association’s decarbonising wholesale project.

Julie Dunn, operations director at Dunns Food and Drinks, said: “Dunns has a rich history in innovation because we’re always looking for ways to positively impact our suppliers, our customers, and our community.

“This is a major investment in our future and the future of Scotland’s food and drink industry. This investment will secure more jobs within our community and is another step towards long-term sustainability goals.”

The Scottish Government has set a target date for net zero emissions of all greenhouse gases by 2045. In its annual report on Scotland’s climate strategy, the UK Committee on Climate Change (CCC), an official advisory body, said there were ‘glaring gaps’ between its ambitions to cut emissions by 75% by 2030 and its success in meeting them.

Dunn commented: “As a company, we can do everything we can to make positive steps towards net zero. However, there is still a long way to go in terms of readying Scotland’s infrastructure.

“We navigated the switch from horse and cart to motor lorry in 1923, and we hope there will one day be a similarly smooth transition to electric vehicles – although it certainly won’t happen overnight.

“Charging a vehicle to go from Glasgow to Edinburgh and back costs more than fuel, and the best mileage an electric van can offer is around 130 miles on a full charge; as a national distributor this limits where we can use electric vans.

“Electric vehicles also aren’t carbon neutral until they have been used for four years, which is usually around the time businesses renew vehicles, meaning there need to be more incentives for companies to choose green initiatives. There’s also a lot of talk and very little action when it comes to education for green jobs, while Scotland desperately needs a skills development plan for logistics.

“The Scottish Government must continue to work with industry to create a realistic plan to help companies who want to do the right thing and take the necessary steps.

“There can’t be a massive gap between the affordability and simplicity of carbon-friendly choices. Scotland’s hospitality sector is navigating an incredibly difficult time, with rising costs in almost every area; too many good operators are closing their doors. We are doing everything we can to support hospitality businesses, and we hope that becomes a major priority for the Scottish Government as well as its net zero objectives.”