Tesco Ireland transitions 164 grocery-delivery vans to renewable diesel

Photo: Tesco Ireland

Tesco Ireland announced June 26 that it has taken a significant step toward lowering its transport emissions by transitioning 164 of its grocery home shopping (GHS) delivery vans from diesel to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), also known as renewable diesel, which can reduce carbon emissions by up to 90 percent when compared with conventional diesel.

This move means over one-third of Tesco’s GHS delivery fleet is now operating on lower‑carbon fuel, with ambitions to scale to 50 percent by the end of the year.

Around 20,000 weekly customer GHS orders nationwide are now fulfilled by HVO-powered vans.   

Certa-supplied HVO is produced from waste-material feedstocks and can be used as a direct replacement for diesel without engine modifications.

This enables a transition to lower-emissions fuel using existing vehicles, while longer-term decarbonization solutions continue to develop.

This change supports Tesco in its ambition to reach net zero in its own operations by 2035.

Tesco customers in 15 locations nationwide will now receive deliveries from vans operating on HVO.

Certa, Tesco’s energy partner, is supplying HVO through strategically located refueling stations nationwide, with the fuel also available for consumers as part of their broader forecourt offering.

“Tesco’s decision to introduce HVO across 164 delivery vehicles is a very positive step,” said Darragh O’Brien, Ireland’s transport minister. “Reducing emissions from the logistics sector is essential, and this move demonstrates how large fleets can make meaningful progress quickly.”

Paul Healy, Tesco Ireland’s retail-operations director, added, “Transitioning more than 160 of our delivery vans to HVO is delivering strong results already, and we plan to grow that figure to 200 vehicles by the end of the year. Switching to HVO allows us to reduce emissions from our operations today, while longer-term solutions continue to develop. We have also made substantial progress in decarbonizing our wider distribution fleet through biomethane, another important step toward achieving our sustainability goals.”

Orla Stevens, Certa Ireland’s managing director, said, “Certa is Ireland’s leading supplier of HVO to motorists, businesses and events, and we are delighted to partner with Tesco on this major shift to renewable fuel for their delivery fleet. With HVO available at 25 Certa locations across the country, and more being added all the time, Tesco can continue delivering to customers’ homes with ease while significantly reducing carbon emissions.”