Associated British Foods
Associated British Foods plc (ABF) is a diversified international food, ingredients, and retail group headquartered in Great Britain. Founded in 1935, the company has established a strong presence across Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa, operating in various sectors including grocery, sugar, agriculture, and retail.
ABF is renowned for its core products, which include high-quality sugar, bakery goods, and branded grocery items, as well as its ownership of the popular retail chain Primark. The company’s commitment to sustainability and innovation sets it apart in the competitive food industry. With a robust market position, ABF has achieved notable milestones, including significant growth in its sugar and grocery divisions, solidifying its reputation as a leader in the global market.
+34 vs industry average
Associated British Foods’s score of 51 is higher than 70% of the industry. This can give you a sense of how well the company is doing compared to its peers.
Part of the Sustainability team at Associated British Foods?
- Control how your company's emission story is told
- Respond to customers efficiently
- See who's viewing your profile
Industry Intensity
Food Product Manufacturing is among the most carbon-intensive industries
Industry performance
The Food Product Manufacturing industry has increased its overall emissions by 9% since 2019
Emissions trajectory 2020 – 2028
Reported emissions
Scope 3 accounts for ••• of total emissions.
Associated British Foods's reported carbon emissions
Associated British Foods (ABF), headquartered in GB, reported a total of approximately 349,000,000 kg CO2e for its Scope 1 and 2 emissions in 2025. This figure is an aggregation of its Scope 1 emissions, estimated at approximately 157,000,000 kg CO2e, and Scope 2 emissions, estimated at approximately 192,000,000 kg CO2e. For the preceding year, 2024, ABF's Scope 1 and 2 emissions totalled approximately 385,000,000 kg CO2e, comprising approximately 195,000,000 kg CO2e for Scope 1 and approximately 190,000,000 kg CO2e for Scope 2. In 2023, the company's Scope 1 and 2 emissions were approximately 404,000,000 kg CO2e, with Scope 1 emissions at about 203,000,000 kg CO2e and Scope 2 at around 201,000,000 kg CO2e. The year prior, 2022, saw Scope 1 and 2 emissions of approximately 423,000,000 kg CO2e, broken down into approximately 231,000,000 kg CO2e for Scope 1 and approximately 192,000,000 kg CO2e for Scope 2. Looking further back, ABF reported approximately 485,000,000 kg CO2e for Scope 1 and 2 emissions in 2021, and approximately 450,000,000 kg CO2e in 2020. In 2019, Scope 1 and 2 emissions were reported as approximately 3,993,000,000 kg CO2e. Historical data shows Scope 1 and 2 emissions of approximately 4,153,000,000 kg CO2e in 2018, and approximately 4,243,000,000 kg CO2e in 2017. In 2016, total emissions, including Scope 1, 2, and 3, amounted to approximately 5,280,000,000 kg CO2e, with Scope 1 at about 3,397,000,000 kg CO2e, Scope 2 at approximately 1,054,000,000 kg CO2e, and Scope 3 at approximately 807,000,000 kg CO2e. Associated British Foods has set several climate-related targets. ABF Sugar is committed to reducing absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 30% by 2030, using a 2018 baseline. Additionally, Primark aims to halve its absolute carbon emissions across its value chain by 2030, also from a 2018 base year. As a Group, Associated British Foods has an ambition to achieve net zero by 2050 or sooner. Twinings aims to make all its tea and infusions carbon neutral by 2030. George Weston Foods had a target to reduce Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions per tonne of production by 20% by 2020, relative to a 2010-2011 baseline. Primark is also aligned with the UNFCCC Fashion Industry Charter goal of net zero emissions across all three scopes by 2050. It's important to note that the provided emissions data focuses on Scope 1 and 2, with Scope 3 data being largely missing for most years, specifically categories like "purchased goods and services." The organisation's climate commitments and reported emissions are cascaded from the parent company, Associated British Foods plc.
Unlock detailed emission data
Access structured emission data, company specific factors and auditable source documents
Associated British Foods’s Climate Goals (2030 & 2050)
14 goals2030
50% reduction in all scopes
Primark has set an overarching objective to halve absolute carbon emissions across its value chain by 2030, from a base year of 2018.
2030
62% reduction in total GHG
Vs 2019 baseline. Validated by SBTi. Includes full supply chain.
2040
50% reduction in Scope 3 intensity
Across purchased goods and services and logistics.
See all 14 climate goals
Already have an account? Sign in now
Scope 3 top emissions categories
No scope 3 category breakdown has been disclosed yet.
Climate initiatives

Science Based Targets Initiative

Carbon Disclosure Project
The Climate Pledge
UN Global Compact Climate Champions initiative
RE 100
Climate Action 100
Emissions comparison with industry peers
View similar organisationsUsage policy
You’re welcome to quote or reference data from this page, but please include a visible link back to this URL. Bulk collection, resale, or redistribution of data from multiple profiles is not permitted.
See our License Agreement for more details.
Where does DitchCarbondata come from?
Discover our data-driven methodology for measuring corporate climate action and benchmarking against industry peers
Learn moreCurious to see your top suppliers emissions?
Book a demo for a pilot project