Sustainability in pet players (II): Tom&Co, Pets at Home and Petz

The retail side of the pet industry is increasingly embracing sustainability, from cutting emissions to improving energy efficiency and adopting circular economy practices.

Tom&Co

Belgian pet retailer Tom&Co released its first-ever sustainability report on 24 October 2025.

The company reported emissions of 111,533.9 tCO₂ in 2023 and set a goal to have a 100% electric vehicle (EV) fleet by 2029 as part of its “key figures and engagements.”

Tom&Co classified its own operations as having a “real negative impact,” mainly due to high energy consumption in stores—particularly in older buildings—as well as its digital footprint and delivery logistics. In terms of energy use, the company reported 256 MWh for heating and 2,112 MWh for electricity in its integrated stores.

The retailer also highlighted negative impacts within its value chain, notably greenhouse gas emissions from “intensive agriculture, forestry and fishing,” and from the global sourcing and transportation of materials.

However, Tom&Co also identified opportunities for positive impact, such as adopting more sustainable practices in the production of cereals for animal feed, investing in energy efficiency, and initiatives around improving the end of “pet lives” in a selection of stores.

Aware of the risks associated with its operations, the company outlined a mitigation strategy that began with quantifying its carbon footprint and includes plans to reduce emissions starting in 2025.

In 2024, efforts focused on optimizing logistics, reducing travel distances, and introducing EVs. The plan also encompasses a global store renovation program and the ongoing development of its e-commerce platform.

To address high energy consumption, Tom&Co intends to equip all stores with energy measurement systems, switch to LED lighting, and implement centralized heating management by 2026.

Pets at Home

For the financial year (FY) 2024-2025, British pet retailer Pets at Home achieved a 44% reduction in absolute location-based Scope 1 and 2 emissions since 2016.

In terms of energy use, 88% of company car fleet miles travelled in lower carbon vehicles (EV or hybrid).

Pets at Home’s new distribution center does not use natural gas for heating, and solar panels were installed during FY2025. The company’s remaining natural gas emissions, mainly from standalone veterinary practices, fell 8% from FY2024 and 49% from the FY2020 baseline.

The company says the reduction in emissions was largely due to a reconfiguration of its distribution network, which shifted more deliveries to third-party logistics companies, a category classified as Scope 3 emissions.

For Scope 1 emissions, the company reports reductions across most sources, except for company cars, where emissions rose by 5%.

The company reports its strongest waste management performance, with 99.5% of operational waste diverted from landfills during the period. “Our overall waste volumes increased slightly by 2% and the proportion of waste that is recycled and recovered reached 73% in the year, down from 79% (FY2024),” it adds.

Pets at Home has adopted more sustainable packaging by using 100% cardboard hooks for collars and non-chain leads, reducing the size and weight of its Carob Advent Calendar packaging by 20% and incorporating 30% recycled plastic into its harness packaging. “In total, these improvements drove a 2.75-tonne reduction in plastic usage across the range annually,” it adds.

Petz

Brazil’s largest pet retailer presented mixed results regarding its emissions. While the company’s direct emissions (Scope 1) were reduced between 2023 and 2024, falling from 1,414.81 to 973.44 tCO₂e, total emissions increased. It went from 30,911.70 in 2023 to 34,467.34 tCO₂e in 2024.

According to the company, “83,58% comes from Scope 3, linked to value chain activities,” mainly transportation of goods by third parties.

Last year, the company created its Climate Risk Matrix to guide adaptation and mitigation actions. Among the environmental initiatives implemented that year, Petz highlights bicycle deliveries, electric cars and an electronic invoice program via email to reduce paper use.

“Petix [its brand of hygienic mats and accessories] is ​​a benchmark in circularity and continues to be a key player in this area [sustainable operations] within the Petz group,” the company states in its sustainability report. In 2024, more than 7,700 tons of discarded diapers were used in the production of the mats.

The company also reported more than 707 tons of paper/cardboard and more than 350 tons of plastic recycled in its operations.

Regarding energy, Petz reports services that promote “efficiency and automation of air conditioning systems, which account for a significant portion of their energy consumption.”

According to the company, the expected monthly energy consumption reduction is 12% in stores equipped with this system, 175 of the total 262 (66.7%).

Sustainability in pet players (I): Mars, Partner in Pet Food and Petcurean