Carbon Footprint — Operations: How does Leon Restaurants score?

Leon has not published any Scope 1 or Scope 2 emissions data. ClimatePartner measured supply chain emissions for specific menu items in 2021, but no corporate-level GHG inventory has been disclosed. As a mid-sized restaurant chain (~46 sites, ~1,000 staff), operational emissions (gas cooking equipment at some franchise sites, refrigerant leakage, electricity) are estimated in the low thousands of tonnes. The claim to use only electricity (no gas) in kitchens reduces Scope 1 but no formal calcula

Carbon Footprint — Supply Chain: How does Leon Restaurants score?

Leon worked with ClimatePartner in 2021 to measure CO2 emissions from ingredients, packaging, waste, and kitchen preparation for specific burger and fries menu items. However, this was product-level carbon footprinting, not full corporate Scope 3 reporting. The 2021 carbon neutral initiative and associated data were removed from Leon's website by 2023. No current Scope 3 data is available. Leon sources 75% of ingredients from the UK which indicates some supply chain awareness. As a food service

Emissions Trajectory: How does Leon Restaurants score?

No emissions trajectory data exists. Leon committed to net-zero by 2030 in January 2021, but by May 2023 had removed the net-zero roadmap from its website and phased out carbon neutral claims. Revenue declined from £64.9m (2023) to £62.4m (2024) and the company is now closing 20 of 71 restaurants, which would reduce absolute emissions — but this is a result of financial distress, not a sustainability strategy. Under Asda/EG Group ownership (2021-2025), the sustainability direction appeared to st

Energy Source: How does Leon Restaurants score?

Leon partnered with Ecotricity in 2020 to supply 100% green electricity (wind and solar generated) to all its UK restaurants. Leon also claims to use only electricity (no gas) in its kitchens, which eliminates direct Scope 1 combustion emissions from cooking. This was confirmed by multiple sources including Ecotricity's case study and ClimatePartner. LED lighting was also installed. However, this arrangement was established under pre-acquisition management. It is unclear whether the Ecotricity s

Nature & Biodiversity Impact: How does Leon Restaurants score?

Leon was a founding member of the Sustainable Restaurant Association in 2008. CEO John Vincent chaired the UK government's Council for Sustainable Business, which focused on cutting carbon and restoring nature. Leon partnered with Ecotricity to raise money for The Wildlife Trusts for rewilding projects. Leon's triple-certified coffee saved an 86-acre plantation in Honduras. The 2021 offset projects included rainforest conservation and UK afforestation. However, no formal biodiversity assessment,

Resource Use & Waste: How does Leon Restaurants score?

Leon has demonstrated active waste management: zero waste to landfill policy (where it controls waste collection), partnership with Veolia for recycling and energy-from-waste. In 2018, Leon removed more than 21 tonnes of plastic by switching to biodegradable straws and cutlery. In 2019, a further 11 tonnes of virgin plastic was removed by switching to recycled content cups and lids. Leon's food waste strategy involves fresh-to-order preparation and demand forecasting to minimize leftover food. T

Water Impact: How does Leon Restaurants score?

No water consumption data, water footprint assessment, or water management strategy has been published by Leon. As a restaurant chain, water is used for food preparation, dishwashing, and cleaning. Leon's emphasis on plant-based and vegetarian options (53% of food sales were plant-based or vegetarian in Q1 2019) would lower the embedded water footprint of its menu compared to meat-heavy competitors. However, no quantified water data or reduction targets exist. Score reflects low-to-moderate wate

Targets & Commitments: How does Leon Restaurants score?

Leon committed to net-zero by 2030 in January 2021 and signed up to the Council for Sustainable Business commitments in June 2020. However, by May 2023 the net-zero roadmap had been removed from its website. The carbon neutral burger initiative was quietly phased out. Leon is not listed on the SBTi dashboard — no commitment or validated targets exist. The net-zero 2030 target was offset-heavy and has been abandoned. No replacement targets have been announced under the new ownership (John Vincent

Transparency & Accountability: How does Leon Restaurants score?

Leon has no sustainability report, no ESG disclosure, no TCFD/CSRD reporting, and no public emissions data. The company previously had a Values and Sustainability Director (Kirsty Saddler) who drove sustainability initiatives, but this role appears to have been lost during the Asda/EG Group ownership period. The website retains a basic 'Food & Sustainability' page with claims about green energy, plastic reduction, and food waste, but no data, metrics, or dates are provided. The net-zero roadmap

Controversies & Red Flags: How does Leon Restaurants score?

Starting at 8. Deductions: (1) Carbon neutral burger claims (2021) relied on REDD+ offsets from Verra that were criticised by scientists and NGOs as 'phantom credits'. Leon disputed the criticism but quietly removed all carbon neutral messaging in 2023. This represents a credible greenwashing concern (deduct 2). (2) The ASA ruled in 2016 that Leon's 'Original Superfood Salad' constituted an unauthorized health claim, ordering removal of the claim (deduct 1). (3) During Asda/EG Group ownership (2

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Leon Restaurants Sustainability Score: 32/100

◌ Pending Review

🍔 Food Service / RestaurantsGBBelow expectations

~1,000 employees~£62.5M revenueRanked #343 of 503Website ↗

Leon Restaurants is a food service / restaurants company headquartered in GB. Based on our 10-question rubric, Leon Restaurants scores 32/100 — rated as below expectations on sustainability for a company of its size and profile.

SINK Score Breakdown

How we calculated Leon Restaurants's score using our formula: (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × Scale Penalty

Base Impact

Food Service / Restaurants industry ceiling

Performance

27/100

10 questions scored below

Scale Penalty

emissions volume multiplier

SINK Score

(0.3 × 45 + 0.7 × 27) × 1 = 32

10-Question Rubric Breakdown

Click any question to see the reasoning, sources and community challenges.

2/10

Carbon Footprint — Operations

2/10

Carbon Footprint — Supply Chain

1/10

Emissions Trajectory

5/10

Energy Source

3/10

Nature & Biodiversity Impact

4/10

Resource Use & Waste

2/10

Water Impact

1/10

Targets & Commitments

2/10

Transparency & Accountability

Q10

5/10

Controversies & Red Flags

Community Verification

0 verifications · 0 challenges · Scored using SINK editorial review

Last scored: 5 Apr 2026

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