El Corte Inglés achieves zero‑waste certification across all its stores in Spain and Portugal
Executive summary: El Corte Inglés announced that all of its stores in Spain and Portugal have obtained zero‑waste certification, having processed and valorised more than 100,000 tonnes of waste in 2025 through over 300 certified sites. The move demonstrates a significant step toward circular‑economy operations in retail, potentially reducing landfill reliance and enhancing the company's environmental credentials.
Who is involved: El Corte Inglés (retail group), its Spanish and Portuguese store network, waste‑management partners, and certifying bodies.
Likely next: The company may expand the zero‑waste model to other international markets, seek external verification, and report measurable cost savings or revenue benefits from waste‑reduction initiatives.
The retailer reports that more than 300 of its locations and platforms have been certified as waste‑free, allowing it to valorise over 100,000 tonnes of waste in 2025. This milestone places El Corte Inglés at the forefront of large‑scale retail sustainability in the Iberian market. While the achievement is self‑reported, it aligns with broader EU circular‑economy goals and could influence peers to pursue similar zero‑waste targets.
Timeline
- — El Corte Inglés consigue ser residuo cero en todos sus centros de España y Portugal (Expansión)
- — Rebajas de verano en Zara, El Corte Inglés y otras tiendas, ¿cuándo empiezan y dónde encontrar descuentos? (El País — Economía)
Analysis — what this means
Likely next events
- Potential rollout of zero‑waste practices to El Corte Inglés’s operations in other countries.
- Public disclosure of detailed waste‑diversion metrics and cost‑benefit analysis.
Sectors affected
- Retail
- Waste Management / Circular Economy
Regulatory implications
- Supports compliance with EU Waste Framework Directive on‑going EU circular‑economy and packaging‑waste regulations.
Historical parallels
- IKEA’s goal to become circular and climate‑positive by 2030.
- H&M’s garment‑collecting and recycling initiative aiming for zero landfill waste.
- Carrefour’s zero‑waste pilot in selected European stores.
Key entities
Sources
- El Corte Inglés consigue ser residuo cero en todos sus centros de España y Portugal — Expansión
- Rebajas de verano en Zara, El Corte Inglés y otras tiendas, ¿cuándo empiezan y dónde encontrar descuentos? — El País — Economía
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