Premier Foods reports further progress against Enriching Life Plan with major investments in low-carbon operations and healthier products

Premier Foods, one of the UK’s largest food manufacturers and home to some of the nation’s best-loved brands, has published its 2025/26 Annual Report, highlighting further progress against its Enriching Life Plan sustainability strategy, including major investments in renewable energy infrastructure, lower-carbon manufacturing and healthier food innovation.

The Group reported a 14% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 market-based emissions during the year, alongside a 16% increase in sales of products meeting high nutritional standards and continued investment across its UK manufacturing sites.

Site investments support emissions reduction
As part of the Planet pillar of its Enriching Life Plan, Premier Foods completed a £2.1 million investment in a new solar farm at its Carlton Bakery in South Yorkshire this year. Spanning 2.9 hectares and featuring 3,500 solar panels, the installation has the potential to supply nearly three quarters of the site’s electricity needs during peak production periods. The project is expected to reduce the site’s carbon emissions by approximately 468 tonnes per year while supporting long-term energy resilience and delivering savings in annual energy costs. This forms part of a wider programme of solar investment across Premier Foods’ manufacturing sites.

The business also completed two major steam boiler upgrades at its Worksop manufacturing site, home to brands including Batchelors, Bisto and OXO. The £3.3 million investment has significantly improved energy efficiency at the site and is expected to reduce carbon emissions by around 686 tonnes annually.

In addition to solar and boiler projects, the Group also introduced heat recovery solutions at its Lifton Creamery and continued wider energy efficiency improvements across operations.

Nick Brown, ESG Director at Premier Foods, said: “Our Enriching Life Plan continues to play a central role in how we grow the business responsibly. This year we have made meaningful progress across all three pillars of Product, Planet and People – from reducing carbon emissions and investing in renewable energy infrastructure, to expanding and investing in healthier product ranges and strengthening our support for more sustainable diets, while building the future culture, skills and capability to support business growth and supporting the local communities we operate in.”

An enhanced approach to health reporting
The Group also reported further progress under the Product pillar of its Enriching Life Plan, designed to support healthier and more sustainable diets.

Sales of products meeting high nutritional standards increased 16% during the year, while the business reached its 2030 target ahead of schedule for more than 50% of products to meet high nutritional standards (non-HFSS) and provide an additional registered health or nutrition benefit.

Health-focused innovation during the year included the launch of OXO Bone Broth, which is full of natural ingredients and high in protein and collagen, alongside continued growth in products designed to support convenient and healthier meal occasions. The acquisition of Merchant Gourmet during the year also significantly strengthened the Group’s position in plant-based and minimally processed foods, offering a wide-ranging portfolio of pulses, grains and rice.

The business is also taking a step further this year by enhancing its disclosure across a broader range of key health metrics to match the ambition government has for all large food businesses.

Premier Foods is voluntarily using the metrics proposed by the government to track sales of foods, providing transparency to shoppers while also encouraging action across the industry.

The new metrics are based on those proposed by the Food Data Transparency Partnership, and developed through a Department for Health and Social Care Working Group.

The Enriching Life Plan, launched in 2021, sets out Premier Foods’ ambitions across Product, Planet and People, including targets on healthier products, carbon reduction, sustainable packaging, culture and skills and community impact.

Notes to editors

The business set major sustainability targets under its Enriching Life Plan in November 2021 and has updated on the strong progress made in the last financial year to the end of March 2026, under all three pillars. A few of the highlights include:

• Product – making nutritious and sustainable food
  • Sales of non-HFSS (not high in fat, salt or sugar) branded products increased 16% year-on-year
  • 50% of products now meet high nutritional standard (non-HFSS) and meet the requirements for a registered health or nutrition claim, achieving the Group’s 2030 target ahead of schedule
  • 94 recipes supporting high nutritional standards and 91 recipes offering an additional health or nutrition benefit were launched during the year
  • The acquisition of Merchant Gourmet strengthened the Group’s plant-based and minimally processed food offering
• Planet – contributing to a healthier planet
  • Scope 1 and 2 market-based emissions reduced by 14% year-on-year and by 40% since the 2020/21 baseline
  • Premier Foods commissioned a new solar farm at its Carlton Bakery in Yorkshire, expected to reduce annual carbon emissions by approximately 468 tonnes
  • New boiler infrastructure at the Worksop site is expected to reduce carbon emissions by around 686 tonnes annually while improving energy efficiency
  • Water efficiency improved by 5% during the year
  • 70% of key suppliers now have science-based decarbonisation targets in place
• People – nourishing the lives of colleagues and communities
  • Female representation in senior management increased to 42%
  • Premier Foods expanded its T-Level placement programme to include Science and Business Administration placements
  • The Group donated the equivalent of more than 1 million meals to FareShare and other food insecurity charities during the year
  • Colleagues volunteered 751 days supporting charities and community organisations.

A detailed breakdown of all targets and the progress against them can be found in the Premier Foods Annual Report 2025-26.