John Lewis Partnership To Transition Full HGV Fleet to Biomethane

Waitrose operates the Scania P-340 with biomethane.

“Five biomethane trucks produce the same emissions as one diesel lorry” – Justin Laney, John Lewis Partnership

UK retail giant John Lewis Partnership has embarked on a ten-year transition of all John Lewis & Partners and Waitrose & Partners heavy delivery trucks to low-carbon biomethane-powered versions, cutting HGV emissions by over 80%. All diesel-powered heavy trucks will be phased out from its fleet by 2028.

The move will see the company roll out over 500 new state-of-the-art Waitrose & Partners and John Lewis & Partners delivery trucks powered by 100% renewable biomethane fuel, which significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Each new biomethane truck can run up to 500 miles and emits over 80% less CO2 than a standard diesel alternative. Overall, the entire HGV fleet, once converted, will save more than 49,000 tonnes of CO2 every year – equivalent to the carbon footprint of just over 6,000 UK households (source: Committee on Climate Change).

The announcement comes during the government’s Green GB Week and represents a significant commitment to reducing HGV emissions, which account for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions for road transport in the UK, and around 70% of the John Lewis Partnership’s transport emissions.

The Partnership has been trialling biomethane trucks since 2015 as a low-carbon alternative to diesel, with 61 biomethane trucks already in operation or about to be delivered and the biomethane fuel supplied by CNG Fuels Ltd, UK’s leading provider of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) refueling infrastructure. Six Waitrose & Partners delivery trucks are also currently trialling zero-emission refrigeration units as part of the Low Emissions Freight and Logistics Trial.

The biomethane used in all of John Lewis Partnership’s trucks is renewable and produced solely from food waste and waste materials. As biomethane is cheaper than conventional diesel, the biomethane trucks have lower operating costs than their diesel equivalents.

Justin Laney, Partner & General Manager of Central Transport, John Lewis Partnership, said: ‘We have been pioneering the adoption of long-distance biomethane trucks in the UK and scaling this up to our entire heavy truck fleet will deliver significant environmental and operational benefits. Five biomethane trucks produce the same emissions as one diesel lorry and they are also much quieter, helping reduce not only greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution but also noise pollution in our cities.’