Abel & Cole is a UK-based organic food delivery company founded in 1976, operating online subscription boxes with returnable packaging.
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Abel & Cole operates a certified organic e-commerce model with measurable carbon tracking and SBTi-validated near-term targets, but relies on intensity-based Scope 3 commitments covering 90% of emissions. Weak points: unverified self-reported data, majority HVO-not-electric fleet, and unresolved 2026 greenwashing allegations over farmed salmon marketing.
Abel & Cole scores 56/100 (Making progress) on SINK's independent climate assessment, scored from public data only. Fees pay for the review, never the result. Last verified May 2026.
That places Abel & Cole joint 34th of 847 companies scored, and 1st of 19 in E-commerce / Online Retail.
Abel & Cole is the highest-scoring e-commerce / online retail company we've rated.
Among the 19 major e-commerce / online retail brands we've scored, Abel & Cole sits 1st of 19.
Its three lowest-scoring questions, and what the evidence didn't show.
Scope 3 target is intensity-based (53.5% per tonne sold by 2030), not absolute — commitment only that S3 not exceed baseline. >90% of emissions in S3 structural reliance on intensity.
28% of vans HVO, electric vans being introduced with target of electric-only city centre deliveries by 2028.
No specific consumption figures, reduction targets, or stewardship programmes publicly disclosed.
A score changes when the evidence does. We use new published evidence at the next rescore. Evidence that isn't public can count through an evidence review.
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Get in touch →Strongest on Carbon Footprint — Operations and Carbon Footprint — Supply Chain (7/10, 7/10). Weakest on Emissions Trajectory and Energy Source (5/10, 5/10).
Abel & Cole leads its sector. These are the next 3 down.
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See the breakdown →Refurbed's business model directly addresses e-waste and resource consumption through verified lifecycle analysis, but the company lacks corporate emissions reporting, science-based targets, and formal Scope 3 inventory.
See the breakdown →Etsy has solid operational emissions reporting and renewable energy procurement, but absolute Scope 3 emissions—99% of its footprint—rose 2% in 2024 and are up 504% since 2014.
See the breakdown →The formula and all 11 sources.
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × Scale11 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
If you believe a source has been misread or a newer version exists, submit a challenge.
Abel & Cole is a UK-based organic food delivery company founded in 1976, operating online subscription boxes with returnable packaging. It combines direct-to-consumer e-commerce with organic supply chain curation, positioning itself as a sustainability-focused alternative to conventional supermarkets.
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