Planet

In 2021, we updated our tool for assessing how sustainable our products are. With this updated tool we look at 11 specific parameters, such as how durable a product is, how it is produced, which material it consists of, how much emissions are released during transport, and if the materials can be recycled.

Clas Ohlson’s entire assortment will be evaluated this way, starting with the Clas Ohlson branded products. The evaluation will result in a score. Products with low scores will have to be improved or phased out. 

Environmental audits

In 2021 we started to perform environmental audits at our suppliers. In our environmental audit program, we check legal permits, chemical utility, wastewater, air pollution and emissions, noise and solid waste generation. 

We also investigate the supplier’s energy structure and whether renewable energy is used and how much.

Climate neutral by 2045

This target includes greenhouse gas emissions (CO₂ and other gases, for example methane) in our whole value chain, from materials in our products, factory activities and transports to emissions from the customer phase, all the way to end-of life-treatment.

While we work to become climate neutral by 2045, we have an interim target to reduce emissions relative to our total sales by 50% by the year 2030, which corresponds to 20% in absolute figures.

In practise, this means that we shall decrease our emissions in all our areas and activities, regardless of how much we grow as a company. 

Our own operations (stores, warehouse, offices and company cars) is targeted to become climate neutral in 2026. 

Our targets are in line with the 1,5-degree target and Paris Agreement, meaning that the emissions in the world at least must be halved by 2030 and reach close to net zero 2050.

Energy

Target: Increase the energy efficiency of stores by 30% by 2030. This is compared to 2014.

After an improvement by 5% in 2022/23 we have now reached 26%. 

Target: Use only renewable energy in all stores by 2024/25.

Today, at least 80% of our stores use renewable energy.

Moving towards low carbon transports

Clas Ohlson has joined the initiative Fossil Free Sweden and set a target of reducing the emissions in our Nordic operations with 70 per cent from 2010 to 2030.

Status: The transportation industry is continuously improving its emission levels. Two main drivers are cleaner fuels and more efficient engines or vehicles. This, together with our cargo optimisations (transporting as little “air” as possible), has helped us reduce our emissions by 70 per cent from 2010 to 2021.

Fully circular by 2045

To achieve this target, our products need to be recyclable, and they should last long before they eventually are recycled, for example by being designed to use spare parts. Our offer shall also include sustainable services.

Examples of services that we already offer, are spare parts, Clas Rental, Clas Fixare and deposit on printer cartridges and toners.

We shall also help our customers to recycle better and more, by guiding and educating in stores and online.

Single-use / disposable items

Since a couple of years, Clas Ohlson is working to replace disposable items with better alternatives. This applies to products offered to our customers as well as products for internal consumption.

Disposable plastic items such as cutlery, mugs, lids, straws have already been phased out of our range. Today we offer a large assortment FSC®-certified disposable wood products and reusable alternatives.

We have changed the material in our waste bags to recycled plastic, instead of new raw material.

We have also removed all disposable plastic items from our workplaces - from lunchrooms, staff rooms in stores, distribution centres and offices, replacing them with reusable options. 

Bags for our customers

Our plastic bags at the tills are made of 100% recycled plastic. Even though this bag is considered a single use option it can be used multiple times, which we encourage our customers to do.

Taxes (Sweden) and a voluntary fee (Handelens Miljøfond, Norway) help to raise prices and reduce sales of single use plastic bags.

Our tote bag Reused Remade (44-5022) is made from recycled hotel bed sheets. It has a lower environmental and climate impact than newly produced fabric bags.

Our reusable Shopping bag Compact (31-5679/80/81/82) is made of recycled PET plastic.

We also encourage our customers to bring a bag from home.

Recycling of products

We are keen to take care of our resources in the best way – recycling is an important part to our journey towards a circular business. 

In all sales countries, we have agreements with local actors to fulfil our producer responsibility for the collection and recycling of electrical products and batteries. Customers can bring old electrical equipment and batteries to all our stores and our partners will take handle the recycling.

Materials from our offices, stores and warehouse shall be recycled in a proper way. We collaborate with suitable recycling companies in the different markets who help us take care of the materials in a sustainable way.

Materials from our offices, stores and warehouses shall be sorted in the best way possible. We cooperate with suitable partners in our different markets who help us handle and recycle the materials.