Sainsbury's has pledged today to invest £1bn in order to meet an ambitious target of achieving net zero emissions by 2040. 

This is a good sign, but what will it actually mean that they will have to do? Particularly in the real estate aspect of the business. They will have to make significant alterations to their properties, not only to make the buildings much more efficient, but also to facilitate the move to electric or other clean energy for its fleet of vehicles. 

It is going to take a lot more than changing the lightbulbs for a business like Sainsbury's to become net zero! Especially considering the age of some of the buildings that Sainsbury's operate out of. The supermarket chain is going to have to seriously change the way it operates and the way its buildings are managed and fuelled. It will be interesting to see whether this changes the customers' shopping experience and the cost of the produce.

It is a positive step in the right direction for the supermarket sector. Hopefully this will spur the other members of the Big Four to follow suit - bring on the race to be the most environmentally friendly supermarket!