AG Axton & Sons (Wholesale) Ltd
Carbon Reduction Plan – Year Ending August 2025
1. Commitment to Achieving Net Zero
AG Axton & Sons (Wholesale) Ltd remains committed to achieving Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This Carbon Reduction Plan outlines the organisation’s current emissions profile, actions taken to reduce emissions during the reporting year ending August 2025, and our strategy to meet this goal. The company continues to align its reporting with the UK Government Procurement Policy Note (PPN 06/21) requirements.
2. Baseline and Current Emissions Reporting
Scope 1 Commentary
Scope 1 emissions for 2025 decreased slightly compared with the previous year, primarily due to continued investment in more fuel-efficient delivery vehicles and improved route optimisation. AG Axton & Sons (Wholesale) Ltd has also implemented driver training programmes and fuel-use monitoring to reduce unnecessary idling and improve vehicle efficiency. These measures demonstrate the company’s commitment to cutting direct combustion emissions from its logistics operations.
Scope 2 Commentary
Scope 2 emissions remained broadly stable year-on-year. The company has maintained its focus on energy efficiency within warehouses and offices, including upgrades to LED lighting, refrigeration systems, and occupancy-controlled power management. All electricity consumption for 2025 has been reported on a market-based basis, reflecting the specific emission factors of the company’s electricity supplier. AG Axton & Sons (Wholesale) Ltd continues to explore renewable electricity procurement and on-site solar options to further reduce Scope 2 emissions in future reporting periods.
3. Detailed Scope 3 Breakdown (2025)
Scope 3 emissions for AG Axton & Sons (Wholesale) Ltd have been calculated using a combination of spend-based and activity-based methods, consistent with DEFRA/BEIS 2024 reporting standards.
For the 2025 reporting year, four relevant categories have been included:
• Category 1 – Purchased Goods and Services: The largest contributor to Scope 3 emissions, covering produce purchases, packaging, accountancy, marketing, IT, and general operating supplies. Emission factors are based on DEFRA spend-based values for goods and services.
• Category 6 – Business Travel: Includes emissions from employee travel for business purposes, using DEFRA issued conversion factors. These emissions represent the indirect impacts of necessary travel activities.
• Category 8 – Upstream Leased Assets: Covers emissions from the lease and hire of office and operational equipment not captured within Scopes 1 or 2.
• Category 9 – Downstream Transport and Distribution: Reflects estimated emissions from the transport of products to customers, including third-party logistics partners and delivery networks.
The inclusion of these categories marks a significant expansion in Scope 3 coverage compared to previous years, representing a more complete and accurate understanding of the company’s indirect emissions profile.
4. Emissions Reduction Achievements During 2025
During the 2025 reporting year, AG Axton & Sons (Wholesale) Ltd continued to make measurable progress toward its Net Zero 2050 goal, focusing on initiatives that reduce direct emissions and strengthen data integrity.
Fleet and logistics: Investment in low-emission and fuel-efficient delivery vehicles reduced fuel consumption and associated Scope 1 emissions. Driver-training programmes and improved route planning further enhanced transport efficiency.
Energy efficiency: Upgrades to warehouse lighting, refrigeration, and office systems improved energy performance, maintaining stable Scope 2 emissions despite increased operational activity.
Digital transformation: The rollout of a paperless ordering and invoicing system significantly reduced paper use and waste, contributing to lower future Scope 3 Category 1 emissions (Purchased Goods and Services).
Waste and resource management: Expanded recycling contracts and better segregation of organic waste reduced the volume sent to landfill.
Collectively, these initiatives demonstrate AG Axton & Sons (Wholesale) Ltd’s ongoing commitment to practical decarbonisation, operational efficiency, and transparent reporting as part of its journey to Net Zero by 2050.
5. Future Targets and Commitments
AG Axton & Sons (Wholesale) Ltd will continue to pursue the goal of achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050. Future initiatives include increasing supplier engagement to improve upstream data quality, implementing renewable energy sources, and further optimising distribution efficiency to minimise transport-related emissions.
6. Assumptions and Methodology Notes
This Carbon Reduction Plan has been prepared in line with PPN 06/21, the GHG Protocol, and DEFRA/BEIS 2024 conversion factors. Emissions are reported in tonnes of CO₂e across Scopes 1, 2, and 3, covering all UK operations of AG Axton & Sons (Wholesale) Ltd.
Scope 1 and 2 data are based on actual fuel and electricity usage, with market-based factors applied for purchased electricity. Scope 3 emissions were calculated using a mix of activity-based and spend-based data (purchased goods, transport, waste, business travel, and commuting).
The increase in Scope 3 reflects improved data completeness rather than higher activity levels. Where specific supplier data was unavailable, DEFRA averages were used. All figures have been internally reviewed for accuracy and consistency with 2024 methodology updates.
7. Declaration and Sign-off
This Carbon Reduction Plan has been reviewed and approved by the Directors of AG Axton & Sons (Wholesale) Ltd. The organisation commits to regularly monitoring, reporting, and reducing its greenhouse gas emissions in line with its Net Zero 2050 target.
Approved by:
Date: 06/11/2025
Summary
The apparent increase in total reported emissions between 2024 and 2025 does not represent a deterioration in AG Axton & Sons (Wholesale) Ltd’s environmental performance. Instead, it reflects a substantial improvement in data quality, methodology, and reporting boundary, following updated guidance from DEFRA and BEIS. During 2024, Scope 3 emissions were calculated based on limited spend and partial supplier data, covering only a subset of relevant categories. In contrast, the 2025 report incorporates comprehensive activity-based data for purchased goods and services, freight and logistics, waste management, and employee commuting. This broader and more accurate dataset provides a clearer picture of our value-chain impacts and positions AG Axton & Sons (Wholesale) Ltd in full alignment with the GHG Protocol Corporate Value Chain Standard.
The increase in Scope 3 figures therefore represents a positive advancement in measurement maturity, not an operational setback. As a result, the company now has a stronger, evidence-based foundation from which to plan and prioritise emissions reduction across all scopes.
Despite the overall increase in total reported emissions driven by methodological improvements, AG Axton & Sons (Wholesale) Ltd achieved tangible emissions reductions in several operational areas during 2025.
• Fleet decarbonisation: Introduction of low-emission and fuel-efficient vehicles reduced Scope 1 emissions associated with company transport.
• Energy efficiency: Continued investment in energy-efficient lighting, refrigeration, and warehouse systems has helped stabilise Scope 2 emissions.
• Digital transformation: The rollout of a paperless document and invoice management system reduced procurement of office consumables, contributing to a future reduction in Scope 3 Category 1 (Purchased Goods and Services).
• Waste reduction: Expansion of recycling initiatives and improved segregation of organic waste has reduced the proportion of waste sent to landfill.
These measures demonstrate AG Axton & Sons (Wholesale) Ltd’s commitment to practical, measurable progress. The company continues to focus on operational efficiency while improving the accuracy and scope of its emissions reporting.
The 2025 reporting cycle represents a significant enhancement in the scope and quality of AG Axton & Sons (Wholesale) Ltd’s emissions accounting methodology.
• Data Coverage: Scope 3 emissions coverage increased from approximately 25% of relevant categories in 2024 to more than 90% in 2025, reflecting a shift from high-level spend-based estimation to activity-based data where available.
• Emission Factors: DEFRA/BEIS 2024 conversion factors have been applied consistently across all categories to ensure comparability and compliance.
• Organisational Boundary: Includes all UK-based operations under AG Axton & Sons (Wholesale) Ltd (Wholesale Fruit & Vegetable Distribution).
• Data Improvements: 2025 results incorporate supplier freight data, waste treatment records, and more detailed procurement analysis, improving completeness and transparency.
• Limitations: Some estimates remain based on spend data for smaller suppliers, and further engagement is planned to refine these figures.
This evolution of methodology demonstrates the company’s commitment to transparent, evidence-based reporting and ensures that future year-on-year comparisons will reflect genuine emissions performance rather than methodological differences.
During the 2025 reporting year, AG Axton & Sons (Wholesale) Ltd continued to make measurable progress toward its Net Zero 2050 goal, focusing on initiatives that reduce direct emissions and strengthen data integrity.
Fleet and logistics:
Investment in low-emission and fuel-efficient delivery vehicles reduced fuel consumption and associated Scope 1 emissions. Driver-training programmes and improved route planning further enhanced transport efficiency.
Energy efficiency:
Upgrades to warehouse lighting, refrigeration, and office systems improved energy performance, maintaining stable Scope 2 emissions despite increased operational activity.
Digital transformation:
The rollout of a paperless ordering and invoicing system significantly reduced paper use and waste, contributing to lower future Scope 3 Category 1 emissions (Purchased Goods and Services).
Waste and resource management:
Expanded recycling contracts and better segregation of organic waste reduced the volume sent to landfill.
Collectively, these initiatives demonstrate AG Axton & Sons (Wholesale) Ltd’s ongoing commitment to practical decarbonisation, operational efficiency, and transparent reporting as part of its journey to Net Zero by 2050.
Fleet and logistics:
Investment in low-emission and fuel-efficient delivery vehicles reduced fuel consumption and associated Scope 1 emissions. Driver-training programmes and improved route planning further enhanced transport efficiency.
Energy efficiency:
Upgrades to warehouse lighting, refrigeration, and office systems improved energy performance, maintaining stable Scope 2 emissions despite increased operational activity.
Digital transformation:
The rollout of a paperless ordering and invoicing system significantly reduced paper use and waste, contributing to lower future Scope 3 Category 1 emissions (Purchased Goods and Services).
Waste and resource management:
Expanded recycling contracts and better segregation of organic waste reduced the volume sent to landfill.
Collectively, these initiatives demonstrate AG Axton & Sons (Wholesale) Ltd’s ongoing commitment to practical decarbonisation, operational efficiency, and transparent reporting as part of its journey to Net Zero by 2050.
This Carbon Reduction Plan has been prepared in line with PPN 06/21, the GHG Protocol, and DEFRA/BEIS 2024 conversion factors. Emissions are reported in tonnes of CO₂e across Scopes 1, 2, and 3, covering all UK operations of AG Axton & Sons (Wholesale) Ltd.
Scope 1 and 2 data are based on actual fuel and electricity usage, with market-based factors applied for purchased electricity. Scope 3 emissions were calculated using a mix of activity-based and spend-based data (purchased goods, transport, waste, business travel, and commuting).
The increase in Scope 3 reflects improved data completeness rather than higher activity levels. Where specific supplier data was unavailable, DEFRA averages were used. All figures have been internally reviewed for accuracy and consistency with 2024 methodology updates.
AG Axton & Sons (Wholesale) Ltd remains committed to maintaining transparent, evidence-based reporting and continuous improvement towards Net Zero by 2050.
