Climate & energy

What actually happens to the climate contribution?

You can make a voluntary contribution to climate protection at Migros Online and as part of a pilot project in eight selected stores. Find out how the amount is calculated and where the money goes.

Text: Nina Huber
Date: 04.10.2024
Format: What we do

Why is a climate contribution needed?

The products we purchase cause CO2 emissions. Customers have a direct impact on CO2 emissions through their consumer behaviour. With the voluntary climate contribution, you can help support climate protection projects along the Migros supply chain. These in turn help to make the products more climate-friendly.

How is the contribution calculated?

The climate contribution depends on the products in your shopping basket. The more climate-friendly the purchase, the lower the climate contribution. Take milk, for example – by the time it ends up in your morning cereal or cappuccino, it has already caused emissions. The climate contribution is calculated based on all the contributing factors – production, transport and packaging. The climate contribution per tonne of CO2 emissions is CHF 25.

For one litre of milk, for example, the following calculation is used: 1.482 kg CO2 emissions for one litre of milk × 1.032 kg × CHF 0.025 per kg of CO2 = CHF 0.038 = 4 centimes climate contribution for one litre of milk. In other words, one litre of milk causes 1.482 kilograms of CO2 emissions. 1.032 kilograms is the weight of one litre of milk. CHF 0.025 is the amount for one kilogram of CO2. 3.8 centimes is rounded up to 4 centimes.

What happens to the money?

The money from the voluntary climate contribution goes into the Migros Climate Fund, which Migros runs in partnership with myclimate. The fund implements climate protection projects together with the suppliers. For example, the fund supports a climate-friendly feed additive for dairy cows, thanks to which they emit less methane during digestion, resulting in less climate pollution. This then improves the carbon footprint of drinking milk. A cycle, as it were. There are also humus and soya projects.

Where can I make a climate contribution?

You have been able to make a contribution at Migros Online since 2022. As of 2024, this has also been possible in eight stores as part of a pilot project. Further information is available on our climate contribution website.

Incidentally, Migros also pays an annual contribution of around CHF 5 million into the M Climate Fund.

Published 21.09.2023, revised 04.10.2024