Canadian Supermarket Scorecard 2026
The 2026 edition of the biennial Climate-Friendly Supermarkets Scorecard assesses the largest (by revenue) Canadian supermarket chains on their actions to reduce emissions of super pollutant hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) used as refrigerants.
Each company is scored on actions in three categories of technology adoption of ultra-low global warming potential (GWP)* alternatives, refrigerant management, and policy & commitments. The scores reflect information voluntarily submitted through EIA’s survey or from publicly available sources if companies did not participate. For more information, visit our scorecard FAQ page.
*Refrigerants with a 100-year GWP <10 are defined as ultra-low, medium-GWP are between 150-1,400, and high-GWP are those above 1,400.
-
This is EIA’s third Canadian Supermarket Scorecard and the third consecutive scorecard in which none of the retailers receive a passing total score. While there has been some indicated progress, the lack of consistent, transparent public reporting poses questions on the level of actual implementation and action on refrigerant-related commitments.
Ultra-low GWP, natural refrigerants have been widely available for use in the food retail sector for years. Europe has over 111,000 installations of ultra-low GWP transcritical CO2 systems and nearly 20 million self-contained hydrocarbon cases - largely across the commercial food retail sector.However, across the five major Canadian food retailers in the scorecard, there is a lack of clearly stated commitments to exclusively use these alternatives in new stores or a timebound plan to transition all existing stores away from HFCs.
Further, several companies report increased use of hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs), some of which are designated as lower or ultra-low GWP, but their production and breakdown in the atmosphere can actually cause emissions of high-GWP and ozone-depleting gases. HFOs are also a source of persistent and pervasive per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, aka ‘forever chemicals’) pollution - see EIA’s report for more information.
Sobeys remains at the top of the scorecard overall and for technology adoption, reporting that 16% of its total stores have transitioned to CO2 refrigeration. METRO reports more than 50 stores (out of 1,012 total) operate “HFC-free” CO2 systems and that CO2 is its construction standard for new stores. Company statements and industry reports imply adoption of ultra-low GWP refrigeration by Costco Canada and Walmart Canada, but the companies lack detailed, country-specific updates. Loblaw states the “majority” of its new stores use “natural refrigerant-based” systems but does not disclose the number of stores across its operations nor whether they rely entirely on ultra-low GWP refrigerants.
A notable concern is the practice of converting stores to medium-GWP alternatives and HFC blends, prolonging companies’ reliance on HFCs amidst a global phasedown of these substances. To substantially reduce climate impacts and obtain long-term operating cost benefits, companies should transition stores to ultra-low GWP, natural refrigerants. Beyond continuing the HFC emissions, their extended use can raise operating costs for retailers as HFC supply decreases globally and even increase their vulnerability to illegal and counterfeit refrigerants as the legal HFC supply shrinks. Broadly, companies should provide detailed updates, as opposed to “lower” or “low” GWP statements that do not define the specific threshold of the replacement. Without clear definitions, it is difficult to assess the ambition of these transitions across companies.
Ammonia (R-717) with GWP of 0 has been widely used for decades in cold storage and distribution centers. Despite being the industry standard, it is concerning that, per publicly available information, only one company (METRO) reports more than 50% of its distribution centers use entirely ultra-low GWP refrigerants such as ammonia, with the remaining four at less than 20%.
Refrigerant management, i.e. reporting on and commitments to reduce refrigerant leakages, remains a major area for improvement. Sobeys is the only company receiving points in this category this year, as it reports an average leak rate of 9% for 2024 (most recent available). In a change from the previous scorecard, METRO no longer discloses a corporate average leak rate. No publicly available leak rates were identified for Loblaw, Walmart Canada, or Costco Canada. The lack of information in this category is concerning: leak prevention and repair is a critical area for emissions reductions, as the large systems in supermarkets are known for high leak rates, with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) estimating annual average refrigerant leakage rates at 25%.
Greater transparency and consistent public reporting on refrigerant use and leak management, with clearly defined, timebound commitments are needed to verify the scale and impact of company actions and assess tangible progress. A faster transition to ultra-low GWP refrigerants is critical for Canada’s largest supermarket retailers to align with national implementation of the HFC phasedown, reduce reliance on HFCs, curb emissions of these climate super pollutants, and avoid potential increases in operating costs as HFC supply decreases.
Technology Adoption
55%
Refrigerant Management
68%
Policy & Commitments
33%
In 2023, Sobeys stated 16% of its stores transitioned to “CO2 refrigerants,” but its subsequent reports do not provide an updated CO2 store count. Additionally, it was piloting use of propane (R-290) and HFO refrigerants (some HFOs are considered lower or ultra-low GWP but pose other climate impacts and health risks as PFAS) but has not reported the outcomes of these pilots. In 2024, Sobeys stated transition to refrigerants with “low of no” GWP for all new stores and most renovation projects starting the same year will be prioritized. With these alternatives widely available for the sector, retailers can feasibly commit to strict usage in all new stores and renovation projects. In the same report, Sobeys stated completion of over 90 corporate stores from “high GWP to low GWP” gases, but does not define these thresholds, leaving the actual climate benefits of these conversions unknown. In 2025, Sobeys references switching to unspecified “HFO blends,” and does not provide an explanation for choosing these blends over the available ultra-low GWP, natural alternatives such as CO2 and propane. Sobeys reported an average refrigerant leak rate of 9% for 2024.
Sobeys could improve its score by publicly committing to reduce its corporate average refrigerant leak rate to a specified target and setting a timebound commitment to transition all stores to ultra-low GWP refrigeration systems.
Company did not respond to EIA’s survey and was scored entirely on publicly available information.
Percentage change from 2024 score: -2% (Due to changes in scorecard weighting* of standalone equipment refrigerant use, a higher reported average leak rate, and a decrease in technology adoption)
Call to Action:
Given the significant global warming impact of HFCs, EIA is calling for all supermarkets to:
Develop a strategy to fully phase out all HFCs in stores by 2035, including an interim target to reduce HFC emissions by 50% by 2030.
Immediately use only HFC-free refrigeration in all new builds and major retrofits.
Immediately use only recycled and reclaimed refrigerants to service all existing equipment that uses HFCs.
Reduce corporate average refrigerant leak rate to best in class rate of <5% and publish progress towards this goal.
Implement upgrades to leak monitoring and repair best practices for all refrigeration systems, including a zero-leak tolerance policy which requires leaks to be repaired prior to adding more refrigerant, and a plan to ensure company-wide enforcement.
Make public commitments or goals to reduce HFC use and emissions and proactively engage with stakeholders in industry and policy settings to further advance ambitious HFC reduction policies and accelerate adoption of HFC-free technologies.
Reduce the overall climate footprint of their cooling including through energy efficiency measures and easy-but-impactful steps like adding doors or night shades to open cases, upgrading to LED lighting, and reducing leaks.
Enhance transparency by regularly publishing information quantifying current refrigerant emissions, all actions taken to adopt technology, reduce leaks, increase efficiency, as well as stating measurable future commitments to reduce HFC use and emissions.
Metro | Metro | Metro Plus | Super C | Food Basics Sobeys (under Empire Company) | Sobeys | IGA Extra | Safeway | Thrifty Foods | IGA | Foodland | Bonichoix | Les Marches Tradition | Fresh Co | PriceChopper | Needs Convenience | Loblaws | Loblaws / Loblaw | Atlantic Cash & Carry | Atlantic Superstore | Bloor Street Market | Dominion | Les Entrepôts Presto | Extra Foods | Fortinos | Freshmart | L'Intermarché | GreatFood / Loblaws CityMarket | Lucky Dollar Foods | Maxi / Maxi & Cie | NG Cash & Carry| No Frills | Provigo | Real Canadian Superstore | Shop Easy Foods | Shoppers Drug Mart / Pharmaprix | SuperValu | T & T Supermarket | Valu-mart | Wholesale Club / Club Entrepôt | Your Independent Grocer | Independent CityMarket | Zehrs Markets
Want to do more?
