Tesco to introduce all-electric home delivery fleet in Glasgow

Glasgow has become the first Scottish city to transition to an all-electric Tesco home delivery fleet.

The 17 new vehicles will perform 3,700 home shopping deliveries a week covering nearly 8,000 miles across the city.

The supermarket giant has pledged to become net zero in its own operations by 2035.

Tesco also vowed to “support customers transitioning to electric vehicles by providing EV charging points, as part of its roll-out of the UK’s largest retail network of electric vehicle charging points.”

It says that by the end of 2022 shoppers will be able to use one of 2,400 charging points across 600 stores, including 72 in Scotland.

‘A COP26 legacy for Glasgow’

Jason Tarry, Tesco UK and ROI CEO said that Tesco is hoping to secure a legacy for Glasgow in the wake of COP26.

Tarry said: “In this critical decade for climate action, businesses must play a key role in driving transformational change. As part of our efforts to secure a COP26 legacy for Glasgow, I’m delighted that Glasgow will be the first Scottish city to transition to an all-electric Tesco home delivery fleet. “

The supermarket is also committing more heavily to rail freight to tackle high emissions caused by food distribution.

Five trains per week currently carry fresh produce for Tesco customers from Spain to England, and by the end of this year a new rail service will run direct from Spain to Scotland.

Minister for Transport Graeme Dey said: “This is just the beginning of action taken by Tesco and it is encouraging that the company is expanding the use of rail freight for the movement of fresh produce, investing in renewable energy infrastructure and decarbonising its entire home delivery fleet by 2028.”