Retail and Wholesale: key messages for the Clean Industrial Deal

The Clean Industrial Deal is of critical significance for our sector. Retailers and wholesalers are playing an important role in boosting the competitiveness and sustainable development of the EU Single Market, bringing affordable innovation to over 400 million consumers. Sitting at the nexus between production and consumption, our sector has the potential to facilitate change in both segments.

Retail and wholesale have experienced a challenging external environment in the past years and needs to invest massively in its digital, sustainability and talents’ transformation. Therefore, in the new mandate, we call for coherent legislation and the necessary support mechanisms that foster both investment capacity and innovation, including the adoption of new technologies that enhance decarbonization, resource efficiency, circularity, and competitiveness.

Reducing GHG emissions, including scope 3, and investing in net zero infrastructure is central to retailers and wholesalers’ sustainability and circularity goals and requires support. We are therefore convinced that an effective new Clean Industrial Deal and Circular Economy Act must look beyond industry and should include maximising the potential for clean growth in the services sector leveraging digitalization, AI, and smart logistics to accelerate the transition.

Retail and wholesale can be a key contributor to delivering on the EU’s climate ambition and competitiveness. We estimate that reducing scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90% between 2022 and 2030 will require an investment of up to €300bn, with €35bn needed for circular infrastructure, alone. These funds are needed to modernise stores and fleets, invest in renewable and energy saving solutions and to roll out electric charging infrastructure, amongst other measures, which all contribute to supporting the competitiveness of the EU industries. 

Simplification and increased competitiveness should form the basis of the CID. We, therefore, need a strong European ambition complementing, facilitating and coordinating initiatives and projects at the EU, national, and regional levels. This needs to support the industry and services sectors and develop infrastructure needed for an effective, competitive and well-functioning decarbonisation effort and circular economy.