01 March 2024 , 09:18
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Wahaca, a Mexican restaurant chain, has been named the UK's most sustainable restaurant by consumer group Which?
In its first-ever ranking of eco-friendly practices in the hospitality sector, Which? analysed data from 22 companies. They looked at how these businesses were reducing their impact on the environment between August and November last year.
The restaurants were scored various mesasures including cutting down emissions, managing resources, sourcing policies, being open about what they're doing and giving customers eco-friendly choices. While all restaurants can do more to help the planet, Wahaca, which has 13 branches in London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Brighton, came out on top with a score of 84%.
This was partly because of its good sourcing policies and clear customer choices. Which? also liked that Wahaca uses pork and eggs, is cutting down on beef and promotes plant-based eating. Plus, it's the only restaurant that shows how much carbon each meal produces.
Because of this, Wahaca and five other chains have been given Which?'s Eco Provider badge which indicates these companies are ahead of competitors in terms of addressing their impact. The five are: Frankie & Benny's, Nando's, Pret a Manger, Wagamama and Young's Pubs.
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Nando's got top marks for its waste and plastics policies because it creates very little food waste for a business of its size, and none of it goes to landfill. More than a quarter (28%) of Frankie & Benny's menu is vegan or vegetarian, they use eco-friendly cleaning products and have a green policy for fitting out their restaurants, according to Which?
The consumer group said Greggs and KFC came in joint last place with a score of 38%, mainly because they didn't share information on things like how much water they use and how much waste they produce. But, Which? did say that both companies have ambitious reduction targets.
Five Guys, Hungry Horse, Pizza Express, Subway, TGI Fridays and Yo! Sushi were criticised by the watchdog for not taking part in the study or not giving any information. Which? said that restaurants need to be open about their green policies so that customers can make more eco-friendly choices.
In a separate study, the consumer champion found that more than four in 10 (44%) people want restaurants to do more about being green and more than a quarter (27%) would like restaurants to put information about how green they are on their menus.
Nutritionist Shefalee Loth of Which? stated: "Many people want to play their part in preventing climate change by making more sustainable choices, and they expect restaurants to support them by being transparent about their emissions and where they source their food from."
"Our research shows that some restaurant chains are doing much more than others to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and food waste. By visiting one of the restaurants named a Which? Eco Provider, diners can be confident they are at a chain that has impressive green credentials."
Wahaca co-founder Mark Selby said: "We couldn't have achieved this position without the tireless work being done, not just within the company but also from the incredible suppliers and producers who help to fill our menus with dishes that as well as tasting great, have a minimal impact on the environment."
"Of course, our sustainability journey is an ongoing one and we continue to explore the ways that we can, as a business, tread as lightly on the planet as possible."
A Greggs spokesperson said: "The Greggs Pledge is our commitment to making the world a better place by 2025 focused around three key areas: building stronger, healthier communities, making the planet safer and becoming a better business."
A KFC spokesperson shared, "KFC has pledged to be a net-zero business by 2040 or sooner, 10 years ahead of government targets." They added, "We are passionate about embedding sustainability across all areas of our business and are working with a range of experts to ensure we get this journey right. We believe this report does not fully reflect our position and our ongoing commitment to operating responsibly."
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A Hungry Horse spokesperson said: "Greene King is committed to reducing its impact on the environment so that it is protected for generations to come. We continue to make good progress against our ambitious targets, however as we operate our ESG strategy at a wider Greene King group level, we weren't able to provide the specific data requested for Hungry Horse."
A TGI Fridays spokesperson stated, "TGI Fridays is fully committed to sustainability and the journey to net zero. Making progress on sustainability and the road to net zero will remain a key priority for us and our peers across the hospitality sector."
Five Guys, Pizza Express, Subway, and Yo! Sushi were comntacted for comment.