Food Poverty & Healthy Eating: John Lewis Partnership

John Lewis Partnership, which runs John Lewis & Partners department stores and Waitrose supermarkets, employs approximately 74,000 people across the UK. The company operates more than 300 stores, offering quality food, clothing and homewares to customers throughout the country.

The organisation has released its Ethics and Sustainability Report 2025/26, showcasing its commitment to environmental stewardship and ethical supply chain practices. While the company's ethics and sustainability strategy encompasses supply chains and sourcing, the environment and communities, the health dimension of its work demonstrates particular relevance for public wellbeing.

Jason Tarry, Chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, says: "In 2025, the operational context outside of our shops, stores, offices and depots has been particularly challenging for the sustainability agenda. Inside our doors the story is different, as we remain fully committed to long-term, responsible change. We're as motivated to care for our communities, protect nature and mitigate climate change as ever."

He continues: "Our customers expect us to lead, not only on ethics and sustainability, but also on value for money. Achieving this balance can sometimes be a juggling act, particularly during times of uncertainty. However, we believe that through consistent actions and clear communication, we can both align with our customers' needs and make the case for our responsible business model."

Supporting healthier customer choices

In response to public health requirements, John Lewis Partnership is working to help its customers lead healthier lives by supporting positive changes towards more balanced diets. According to the Ethics and Sustainability Report, the company reached its healthy food and drink sales target one year ahead of schedule. The report shows that 70.1% of Waitrose own-brand food and drink sales volumes now meet the Good Health criteria.

These healthier options are featured in meal deals, promotions and recipe ideas in the retailer's advertisements and online platforms. In 2025, the company removed 79 additives from Waitrose own-label food and drink products without compromising quality, taste or safety standards.

This approach to product reformulation indicates a commitment to transparency and cleaner ingredient lists. The strategy aligns with growing consumer demand for simpler, more natural food products.

The report highlights that these changes form part of the partnership's broader health strategy. The focus on reformulation demonstrates the company's response to evolving customer expectations around food transparency.

Addressing food poverty challenges

The partnership's work on food poverty shows significant impact on community health outcomes. According to the report, surplus food from Waitrose was distributed to more than 4,000 charities in FareShare's network, providing 6.5 million meals to people in need throughout the year.

Additionally, customers donated 1.7 million meals to local food banks through collection points in Waitrose shops. The company is redistributing surplus food from its supply chain to FareShare through the King's Coronation Food Project. In 2025, the partnership donated approximately 300 tonnes of surplus fresh fruit through this initiative.

This focus on reducing food waste while addressing food insecurity demonstrates how retailers play a role in supporting nutritional access for vulnerable populations. The dual benefit of waste reduction and community support forms a key pillar of the partnership's sustainability strategy.

The report emphasises that these food redistribution programmes represent an ongoing commitment. The partnership continues to expand its network of charity partners to maximise the reach of surplus food donations.

Ethical sourcing and welfare

John Lewis Partnership's sourcing commitments have implications for both animal welfare and nutritional quality. According to the report, the company aims to farm all of its own-brand milk, meat, eggs and farmed fish to defined higher-welfare standards.

Through its fish and shellfish supply chain, it plans to source all own-brand products from third-party verified responsible sources. The organisation also aims to achieve zero deforestation and conversion-free sourcing of key commodities across its own-brand product supply chains.

The report states that the company has made an impact on workers in its supply chains, improving 206,337 livelihoods of workers and farmers across the world. It also reached the milestone of £1m (US$1.35m) funding allocated to climate resilience projects by the Waitrose Foundation between 2022 and 2025.

Marija Rompani, Director of Ethics and Sustainability at the John Lewis Partnership, says: "In 2025, in the face of significant headwinds across the retail industry, the strength and dedication of our Partners have truly shone through."

She adds: "I am extremely proud that, despite a challenging global environment, our commitment to the sustainability agenda has remained steadfast. This gives us great confidence that we can continue to be a driving force for positive change."

The company remains committed to achieving net zero across its operations by 2035 and its wider value chain by 2050. According to the report, it has achieved a 40% reduction in its Scope 1 and 2 emissions against its 2020/21 baseline.