Call for South Korean supermarkets to act on climate impact of meat-heavy diets
Read the report here
The first-ever assessment of the climate commitments and action of eight major supermarkets across four Asian countries— South Korea, China, Japan, and Singapore—by global environment organization Mighty Earth, finds the two biggest South Korean supermarkets, Lotte Shopping and Emart Inc., are not doing enough to tackle climate pollution in meat, dairy and rice supply chains, or to support the global transition to plant-based diets.
The analysis examines the supermarkets’ climate commitments in the context of rising meat consumption in Asia – a key driver of the superheater greenhouse gas methane. South Korea is one of the fastest-growing beef markets, driven by rising incomes and the widespread adoption of Western-style, meat-heavy diets. South Korea was the fourth largest beef importer in 2024, just behind Japan, the U.S. and China.
Livestock agriculture accounts for approximately 32% of human-caused methane emissions, and the sector is the single biggest driver of rising agricultural methane emissions globally. The report highlights the failure of Asian retailers to address methane emissions in their meat and dairy supply chains, despite the sector’s substantial climate impact in the region.
The retailers analyzed in the report are DFI Retail Group and Sun Art Retail Group Limited in China and Hong Kong; Walmart in China; AEON and Seven & i in Japan, Emart Inc. and Lotte Shopping in South Korea; and FairPrice Group in Singapore.
South Korean retailers better on disclosure, failing on alt proteins
All the retailers in the study were assessed against 20 indicators across six categories. Sitting third from the top of the table, Lotte scored 13 points, while Emart is middle-ranking, achieving a score of 9. The South Korean retailers were the only two companies assessed to receive full points for disclosing emissions across the entire value-chain publicly. And despite setting net zero targets, Emart and Lotte’s 2050 commitment missed the 2040 deadline needed for full points. Despite forecasts projecting robust growth in South Korea’s alternative proteins market, both supermarkets failed to secure any points in this category. Lotte and Emart disclosed the company’s Scope 3 emissions in their sustainability materials but did not disclose methane or set a specific timebound reduction target.
- Both failed to articulate any recognition of the impact of methane emissions from livestock agriculture on climate change.
- The South Korean supermarkets are two of six retailers in the study that do not address the climate impacts of rice cultivation in any of their materials, representing a significant omission in their emissions reduction strategies.
- Both companies have set net zero emissions targets for 2050, rather than the more ambitious 2040 timeline.
- Neither supermarket offers private-label alternative protein products – a missed opportunity in South Korea’s growing market.
Meihua Piao, East Asia Manager for Mighty Earth said:
“Driven by the popularity of Western-style diets, South Korea has become one of the fastest growing beef markets globally and this demand for beef in South Korea is a key driver of super polluting methane emissions.
“Rapid cuts to methane emissions from livestock agriculture are one of the fastest ways to put the brakes on global warming and to lessen the extreme climate impacts that Asia is already experiencing.
“South Korea’s retailers are making strides on transparent reporting, a critical step in tackling methane pollution, but given the country’s projected growth in the alternative protein sector, Lotte and Emart are in the perfect position to set and deliver on ambitious climate targets. That means helping customers understand the climate impact of the food they buy and maximizing South Korea’s existing trend toward more plant-based diets with less meat.”
Other key findings
- None of the Asian retailers assessed disclose their methane emissions separately or has set a methane reduction target.
- Not a single retailer has a publicly available deforestation- and conversion-free (DCF) policy, despite the significant impacts of deforestation on climate and nature, driven by meat and dairy production.
- Driving plant-based sales increases is an opportunity currently not been realized by any of the retailers assessed.
- The lowest score—0/100—was awarded to FairPrice Group of Singapore, reflecting a total absence of action on climate pollution.
Asia’s methane problem
Methane is a short-lived but super-polluting greenhouse gas that is roughly 80 times more potent than CO₂ over a 20 year-period, making rapid cuts to methane emissions one of the fastest levers to slow near-term warming. Of the four countries in which the retailers assessed are operating, Japan, South Korea and Singapore have signed the Global Methane Pledge, a voluntary commitment launched at COP26 in 2021 which aims to reduce global methane emissions by 30% by 2030.
In 2023, methane emissions from Asia reached approximately 4.58 billion tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e). With the region warming at roughly twice the global average, climate impacts are already being felt across economies, ecosystems and societies.
Beef is the single biggest driver of agricultural methane emissions globally and is the second most widely consumed red meat in Asia after pork. According to the FAO/OECD, meat and seafood consumption in Asia is set to rise by 78% by 2050. In short, growing meat and dairy consumption is driving Asia’s methane emissions.
Asia accounts for approximately 90% of global rice production and consumption, with methane emissions from rice cultivation representing a major and persistent climate challenge in the region. Globally approximately 60 million tons of methane is emitted each year from rice production — around 10% of global anthropogenic methane emissions.
Action by Asian retailers
Mighty Earth is calling on the eight Asian retailers to take immediate action, starting with greater transparency in climate reporting, including disclosure of methane emissions from meat, dairy, and rice products. As part of this work, companies must:
- Acknowledge methane’s major role in their emissions profiles and climate change plans and raise consumer awareness of this important issue.
- Set methane reduction targets in line with the Global Methane Pledge of 30% reduction by 2030.
- Support a transition to plant-based diets by setting a target to achieve at least 60% plant-based and 40% animal-based sales ratio by 2030.
ends
Notes to editors:
Methodology:
The assessment of the eight retailers relies exclusively on public disclosures, including company reports, websites, and the SBTi commitment database; no confidential or proprietary data was used. It assesses transparency rather than on-the-ground implementation, treating public disclosure as a core measure of accountability.
- The analysis evaluates eight of Asia’s key supermarkets on their climate disclosure and methane emissions. The retailers included in this scorecard were selected based on their yearly revenue, volume of grocery sales, and overall market dominance in the food retailer sector. These retailers were evaluated on 20 indicators across six categories, with the research conducted between December 1, 2025 and January 15, 2026.
- Where applicable, the analysis focused on the recent climate related disclosure published on retailers’ websites. The sole exception was Indicator 3.4, which also drew data from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) commitment database.
- The total score is 100 points, distributed among 20 indicators. Each indicator was scored on a three-tier scale: full points, half points, or zero points. Indicators were weighted differently, with each assigned a specific score based on its related importance and its potential impact on a retailer’s methane emissions and overall climate accountability.
About Mighty Earth
Mighty Earth is a global advocacy organization working to defend a living planet. Our goal is to protect Nature and secure a climate that allows life to flourish. We are obsessed with impact, and our team has achieved transformative change by persuading leading industries to dramatically reduce deforestation and climate pollution throughout their global supply chains in palm oil, rubber, cocoa, and animal feed, while improving livelihoods for Indigenous and local communities across the tropics.
