Co-op response to Conservative Party proposals to 'scrap' the Climate Change Act

02 October 2025

Shirine Khoury-Haq, Chief Executive of the Co-op and co-chair of the Net Zero Council said:

“Abandoning the Climate Change Act would damage economic growth and be nothing short of a betrayal - not just of global communities, including many which supply food to the UK and are already suffering the impact of the climate crisis, but also future generations denied the cleaner, greener and more prosperous future that we must work towards together.

“The UK is a world leader in climate targets, and we are the first major economy to halve emissions. We are leaders in the science and technology behind this success, which has been made possible because of long-term private sector investment unlocked by the certainty provided by a strong legal framework. This is an enabler of economic growth for our nation.

“At Co-op our Climate Justice campaign for a faster and fairer transition to Net Zero is grounded in three principles – we’re led by the science, we’re working towards a fair and just transition for people and planet, and we’re co-operating across all parties, business and communities to drive systems change."

(Photo: Shirine Khoury-Haq, Chief Executive of Co-op and co-chair of the Net Zero Council)

About Co-op
Co-op Group is one of the world’s largest consumer co-operatives, operating across food retail, funerals, insurance, and legal services. Owned by around 6.9 million active member-owners, Co-op exists to meet their needs and champion the causes they care about. With more than 2,300 food stores, 800 funeral homes and a wholesale business supplying around 6,000 additional outlets, Co-op employs 54,000 colleagues and generates annual revenues of over £11 billion.
It is a recognised leader in ethical business and community-led programmes, creating long-term value for members and communities across the UK.

Further information:

E: pressoffice@coop.co.uk