Albert Heijn commits to full electrification of Dutch operations by 2027
Albert Heijn is pushing ahead with its plans to fully electrify its delivery fleet, despite delays in the rollout of environmental zones in cities like Amsterdam. The Dutch supermarket giant announced that by January 2024, it will begin fully electrifying all deliveries within Amsterdam’s A10 ring road, including many areas outside the city center. This will impact around 10,000 customer orders each week in the region, with plans to extend this to the entire Amsterdam area by 2027.
The company has made significant investments in expanding its electric delivery capacity, including the recent doubling of the number of charging stations at its Homeshopcenter in Amsterdam Westpoort. These stations will serve the electric vans that fulfill home deliveries, as well as electric trucks supplying Albert Heijn’s more than 100 Amsterdam stores and AH to Go locations. The company’s transport partner, Simon Loos, has also ramped up its electric fleet, with 50 electric trucks now making approximately 2,000 deliveries per week to Amsterdam stores.
Albert Heijn’s commitment to electric transport comes despite setbacks related to government policies. The Dutch government, under the leadership of the Schoof cabinet, recently delayed the expansion of green zones in Dutch cities, including plans to ban diesel commercial vehicles in certain urban areas starting in 2025. This delay has raised concerns, as it could hinder the implementation of environmental regulations that many companies, including Albert Heijn, have already invested in.
Amsterdam’s plans to ban diesel vehicles from its inner ring (S100) by January 2024 and impose stricter regulations on trucks in the surrounding A10 ring road were seen as a key step toward a broader citywide ban on diesel commercial vehicles set for 2030. While Amsterdam and 14 other municipalities are moving forward with these plans, the absence of clear national regulations on exemptions and signage has created uncertainty for companies trying to comply with the rules.
For businesses like Albert Heijn, which have already invested heavily in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, this delay has been frustrating. "The expansion of our electric capacity in Amsterdam is partly related to the plans for the environmental zone in the city," said Annemieke Sirre, Director of Transport at Albert Heijn. "But whether or not those plans go forward, it doesn’t matter to us. We are moving ahead with our own plans, independent of the political debate. We’re sticking to our own climate goals."
Rob Heesen, who oversees innovation at Albert Heijn, echoed Sirre’s sentiment, pointing out the lack of uniformity in the rules for environmental zones. "It’s challenging that there is no uniform regulation for environmental zones," Heesen said. "This doesn’t help achieve the goals that we and society are striving for. This debate is only delaying progress, and nobody benefits from that. Fortunately, Europe is setting clear boundaries, so it will happen regardless."
Albert Heijn’s push for electrification is part of a larger strategy to reduce its environmental impact. The company aims to cut carbon emissions from its operations and supply chain in the coming years, and the shift to electric transport is seen as a key step in this direction. The company has already been operating electric trucks for home deliveries and store supply routes in Amsterdam and surrounding areas, and it plans to expand this electrification to other cities across the Netherlands in the near future.
The company’s decision to invest in electric transport comes as part of its broader commitment to sustainability. Albert Heijn is aiming to reduce its carbon footprint, with specific targets for reducing food waste and packaging, as well as increasing the share of plant-based products in its offerings. By 2025, the company aims to have cut 20 million kilograms of packaging material and to reduce food waste by 50 percent by 2030.
Albert Heijn has also committed to reducing its Scope 3 emissions — the carbon emissions caused by suppliers and consumers — by 45 percent by 2030, compared to 2018 levels. As part of its efforts, the company is working closely with suppliers to encourage them to adopt more sustainable practices, including using electric trucks for deliveries and reducing emissions in their production processes.
As the deadline for electrification draws closer, Albert Heijn is also looking to expand its renewable energy sources. The company is working with Eneco to secure green energy from offshore wind farms, ensuring that its electric fleet is powered by sustainable sources of electricity.
