Waitrose is launching a £500,000 fund to help the British farmers supplying its shops transition to net zero emissions.

The net zero farm fund will finance projects by farmers and suppliers that support the adoption of low carbon farming practices.

The move forms part of Waitrose’s plan to achieve net zero across its UK farms by 2035 and its entire supply chain by 2050.

Through the new fund, British farmers or producers who supply Waitrose will be able to apply for individual grants to fund projects aiming to reduce the carbon emissions associated with the products supplied to Waitrose.

The supermarket said the funding is available for small-scale projects as well as large scale investments, with examples including rainwater capture tanks, sustainable fertilisers, low carbon heating systems or “soil friendly” machinery.

The new fund builds on a £1 million investment made by Waitrose in its Farming for Nature programme.

“We know every farm is unique and we want to ensure that our Waitrose farmers have the support they need to make nature-friendly changes that work for them,” said James Bailey, executive director at Waitrose. “The fund is about giving farmers access to financial backing to invest in sustainable practices that will benefit their farms in the long run and support a rapid reduction in the carbon footprint of the food we eat.”

In April last year, Marks & Spencer announced the launch of a £1 million accelerator fund as part of its aim to become net zero across all its operations by 2040.

The Plan A Accelerator fund will see M&S work with suppliers to take action towards net zero through a series of projects, such as changing the diet of pasture-grazed cows in its milk pool to reduce the amount of methane they produce.

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