Data-driven carbon footprint reduction in practice: measurement and offsetting at SPAR’s key events

SPAR Hungary has continued its practice of organising its flagship corporate events in line with a carbon-conscious approach. According to an assessment carried out with the involvement of an independent expert, the planting of 304 native fruit trees will ensure balance with nature.

As in previous years, SPAR Hungary used an independent expert to assess the carbon footprint of two major events held last year; the press conference organised to present its annual business report and the partner event linked to the Budapest Wine Festival. Based on the results, the company will voluntarily offset the emissions associated with these events by planting a total of 304 native fruit trees over a five-year period. The calculations were carried out by the GreenDependent Institute, which examined the wide-ranging environmental impact of the events, from the number of participants and their modes of travel to catering, energy use, printed materials and the operation of technical equipment. The findings clearly confirmed that SPAR has consciously incorporated previous recommendations into its event management practices in recent years, resulting in a measurable reduction in carbon emissions.

In the case of the press conference presenting the 2025 annual business report, held in April 2025, catering accounted for the largest share of the carbon footprint. However, significant progress was made in this area: at the 2025 event, carbon dioxide emissions related to catering were reduced to nearly one third compared to the previous year. This improvement is primarily attributable to a radical reduction in the quantity of meat-based dishes, clearly demonstrating that conscious menu planning can have a meaningful environmental impact.

Similar findings emerged from the carbon footprint analysis of the Budapest Wine Festival partner event held in September 2025. As in previous years, catering-related emissions proved to be the most significant factor, although a noticeable decrease was observed compared to earlier years. A particularly positive result was the substantial reduction in the amount of waste generated compared to 2024, while surplus food in all affected years was donated for charitable use.

“Sustainability is a continuous learning and development process for us. We are proud that by incorporating previous professional recommendations we have been able to achieve

tangible results, while remaining open to acting even more responsibly across all areas of our operations,” emphasised Márk Maczelka, head of communications at SPAR Hungary.

As part of the five-year carbon offsetting programme, the 304 native fruit trees to be planted in spring 2026 will come from the collection of Gyula Kovács’s ‘Tündérkert’ orchard in Zala County. With the involvement of GreenDependent, the trees will be planted in school gardens and the gardens of non-profit organisations. In addition to offsetting emissions, the trees will create long-term educational and community value, while contributing to biodiversity and the preservation of traditional Hungarian fruit varieties.