Sustainability

Since opening our first store nearly four decades ago, our focus has been on supporting health and wellbeing through natural foods, supplements, and everyday earth friendly products.

That same care runs through everything we do – from how we source and package to how we power and manage our spaces.  

In January 2024, we began a multi-year partnership with Irish Trees to plant thousands of native trees in Dunsany Castle Nature Reserve in Co. Meath - the largest private rewilding project in Ireland.

Together, we’re helping restore ancient woodlands, reconnect habitats, and support biodiversity.

Over the past two years, our teams have helped plant twelve native species across our Nourish woodland at Dunsany - from oak, rowan, and birch to Scots pine and cherry.

Recycling is just one part of the sustainability puzzle. Wherever possible, we prioritise reusing materials to keep them in circulation for longer. Excess packaging left over from deliveries that we recieve at store level and at our warehouse is all reused where possible. Our online orders are sent using only paper tape, recycled boxes, repurposed paper, and other reused materials.

This approach goes beyond packaging. During our full store refit in Nutgrove, we reused elements from our old Liffey Street store - shelving, counters, CCTV systems, even the blackboard.

The same thinking guided our Wicklow Street mini refit, where the counter was re-clad with a fresh wood veneer instead of replaced. When items can’t be reused, we sell or donate them to prevent waste, and we store any excess shelving for future use.

In October 2024, we installed 68 solar panels on the roof of our Head Office in Santry, Dublin.

They now generate between 40% and 50% of our total energy use, depending on the season, reaching up to 64% during summer months.

It’s a meaningful step toward renewable energy and a practical way to reduce our carbon footprint.

Plastic use is kept to a minimum across our operations and the products we stock. Packaging is key in our buying decisions, so products with unnecessary plastic don’t make it to our shelves.

We actively seek brands using recyclable, compostable, or refillable packaging, helping our customers choose products that are kinder to the planet.

Biona Organic are a great example of a brand who chooses sustainable packaging. Watch Nourish Managing Director, Odhran Kelly discuss the importance of sustainable packaging with Biona Organic founders over a 20 year long partnership in this video. 

Adding doors to our in-store fridges has reduced energy use by up to 80%.

Fridges are among the biggest energy users in food retail, and containing cold air helps them work far more efficiently.

We’re gradually introducing this improvement across our stores - replacing only when necessary to avoid waste.

It’s a simple change that’s having a big impact on our overall energy footprint.

Our warehouse deliveries once relied on thick black plastic wrap.

After research and collaboration with suppliers, we switched to a thin, machine-applied eco wrap, reducing plastic use in our warehouse by 60–70%. 

Our team also reuse the protective cover sheets that cover our palette deliveries where possible. In many cases the reduction in plastic can be up to 95%.

Our mechanical wrap machine is second hand, giving it a new life rather than purchasing a new one. 

In our stores, we run a number of small but meaningful initiatives that help reduce our environmental footprint.

Receipts are BPA-free and only printed when requested, our Nourish loyalty card (for use outside of Dunnes Stores locations) offers incentives for customers who bring and use their own reusable bag.

For in-store cleaning, our teams also use reusable cloths where possible and paper towels made from recyclable materials.

We also take care to manage energy use responsibly.

During the colder months, we keep doors closed where possible to maintain warmth efficiently and reduce unnecessary heating - small changes we try to make whenever and wherever we can.