Santambrogio: "Called to deal with unprecedented solicitations, first of all to ensure social cohesion in the territories through the sales points of our companies and to deploy effective responses to the new consumption trends and purchasing methods imposed by the pandemic".

VéGé Group, the first Modern Distribution Group born in Italy and fifth national player in the Retail channel, presented the third edition of the Sustainability Report for the years 2019 and 2020, available from today on the website www.gruppovege.it. In addition to the reporting of economic, environmental and social performances, in fact, the novelty of the document is represented by an articulated reflection on what has been the response of the VéGé Group to the challenges posed by the increasing health emergency.

"There is satisfaction in presenting the results achieved in a completely off-scale year like 2020. Having closed the year with an increase of over 10% in consumer turnover and a growth rate of 4.2% compared to 2019 has a value that goes beyond the purely economic sphere”, underlined Giorgio Santambrogio, CEO of the VéGé Group. "In a reality that no one could ever have imagined before, we have been called to deal with unprecedented solicitations, first of all to ensure social cohesion in the territories through the points of sale of our companies and to deploy effective responses to new consumption trends and methods purchase orders imposed by the pandemic. The results show that we have emerged strengthened from this 'terra incognita' experience, with a greater awareness of the Group's identity and progressing in aligning our sustainability objectives with those of the United Nations 2030 Agenda”.

With regard to the economic impact, consolidated consumer turnover jumped from € 7.5 billion at the end of 2019 to € 11.28 billion, marking double-digit growth for the seventh consecutive year, thanks also to from the entry of 4 new large companies. With 33 principal companies and over 3,400 points of sale for 2.5 million square meters. of total commercial area, the VéGé Group ranks third in Italy for the number of stores and occupies the fifth position in the Retail channel with a market share of 7%.

Environmental impact. The initiatives they are carrying out regarding every aspect of the activities: reduction of packaging implemented by intervening on packaging design and favoring the use of recycled, biodegradable and / or compostable materials, energy efficiency of points of sale and CE.DI., waste management and the optimization of logistics which has made it possible to further reduce fuel consumption and polluting emissions in the handling of goods.

On food safety and the fight against waste, Gruppo VéGé has translated the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN Agenda into innovative projects, such as Ohi Vita, the new wellness range that offers affordable organic and functional products that meet all the nutritional needs of consumers. Also pay attention to clearer and more detailed information on the label on origin, ingredients, processing and storage methods. An example of this is the agreement with Too Good To Go and the adherence to the Pact Against Food Waste.

In terms of people, health and safety in the workplace represent a priority for the VéGé Group which, in the face of the growing health emergency, has activated a series of initiatives that have allowed employees and collaborators of the points of sale to continue working in efficiently, albeit with all the necessary precautions.

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