Morrisons has announced plans to work with its own-brand suppliers to reduce carbon emissions across parts of the supply chain out of its control by 30% by 2030.

The supermarket said it will encourage suppliers to reduce the greenhouse emissions associated with the sourcing, manufacture and transportation of products.

Bosses have offered 400 own-brand suppliers free access to a new industry-leading software platform, Manufacture 2030, which will allow the businesses to measure, track and forecast their operational carbon emissions.

Steve Butts, head of corporate services at Morrisons, said: “We’re asking our own-brand suppliers to join with us to tackle greenhouse gas emissions.

“As Morrisons is vertically integrated – we manufacture more than half of the fresh food we sell – we’re in a unique position to be able to offer support to the industry.

“We expect that this programme will remove thousands of tonnes of carbon from our supply chain a year – to make it easier for our customers to reduce the footprint of their shopping baskets.”

Morrisons has brought forward its commitment to reach net-zero carbon emissions in its own operations to 2035, five years earlier than initially pledged.

It is now focusing on its supply chain, which falls under so-called Scope 3 emissions, generated typically in the sourcing and transportation of goods from third-party companies.

The grocer said it is ahead of forecast in reducing its operational carbon emissions, reaching a 32% cut since 2017, with the aim of reaching 33% by 2025.