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FOR TOMORROW’S GENERATION 2026

STEP BY STEP

For tomorrow’s generation

Publisher: Lisa Colruyt, Colruyt Group NV Edingensesteenweg 196, B-1500 Halle. Phone number: +32 (0)2 363 55 45

STEP BY STEP

Together, we create sustainable added value through valuedriven craftsmanship in retail. That mission statement has guided our company for many years in everything we do, and it will continue to do so in the future. That is why we are firmly committed to investing in a responsible range of products and services, in the well-being of customers and employees, and in our infrastructure, such as our low-energy stores. Of course, we will not solve every challenge all at once, but we are making progress every day. That optimism is part of our DNA. I believe that, with the right choices and efforts today, we can truly contribute to a better world for tomorrow’s generation. We have made strong progress on most of our sustainability targets, sometimes even beyond expectations. As CEO, I am very proud of that.

But working on the future never stops. And, above all, we must do it together. With our employees, our partners and our customers. Because all the steps we take together make a world of difference. That is also our approach: together and step by step. It is important that everyone knows that what they do really matters. Every step counts, no matter how big or small. That is why we invite everyone to join us in our belief that it is only through the choices we make together every single day, that we can achieve lasting change. We want to inspire you, our reader, with the most remarkable steps we have taken recently. But first, we will give you an insight into how we approach this: purposefully and step by step. Thank you to everyone who is contributing today to tomorrow’s generation. Happy reading! Stefan Goethaert CEO of Colruyt Group

STEP BY STEP

Sustainable entrepreneurship... At Colruyt Group, sustainability has been at the heart of how we do business for more than 50 years. We do business today for tomorrow. As a family business, we make choices with a long-term focus and consider the legacy we leave to future generations carefully. Our society faces major challenges today. As a food and health retailer, we want to contribute toward positive change. Not because we have all the answers, but because we believe progress is possible. That is why, together with our customers, employees, suppliers and partners, we keep working on what can be improved. Step by step.

... to make conscious consuming easier We are unique as a company. Customers do their daily shopping in our food stores, but they also work on their health in our fitness clubs or on their mental well-being through Colruyt Group Academy. This wide range of answers to customers’ needs is our strength. As a food and health retailer, we play a major role in the daily lives of our customers, employees and partners. This means we can do a great deal to make conscious consuming affordable and accessible too. We seize every opportunity to make a positive difference: from the products in our stores to our range of health and well-being services, from employees and partners to customers, from farm to fork. Together, we take steps forward every day. Because every step counts.

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What we are doing today for tomorrow’s generation Later in this publication, you can read how we have taken steps forward across our three focus areas : the environment, health and caring for one another. We set ourselves clear targets and outline the initiatives we are launching to achieve them. You will also find out how our brands and their customers, employees or partners have helped to make each step possible, and what results we therefore achieve together.

We make conscious choices easy 8 12 We make healthy living more accessible 18 We reduce our environmental impact 26 We create opportunities and engagement 32 We strengthen our chains from producer to customer GEZOND

Taking steps forward together More than 4.5 million known customers, 30,000 employees, 25 brands and 11,000 partners: everyone makes a difference at Colruyt Group. When we make conscious consuming and healthy living easier, it makes a difference for the generations to come. The choices we make today have an impact on the environment, our health and the people around us.

We are constantly taking steps forward with our customers, employees, suppliers, farmers, partners and social organisations in a wide range of areas. Every year, we launch new initiatives or continue to build on existing initiatives to address the challenges facing our society. In this publication, we highlight the most remarkable steps and set a step forward in motion. Because big or small: every step counts.

Ready to take a step forward? In some of our steps, we invite you as a reader to take a step forward too. Because we believe everyone can contribute. As a customer, you can support the good causes of Colruyt Group Foundation through Xtra. As an employee, you can strengthen the initiatives of our brands every working day. As a partner, you can reach more people through Colruyt Group Academy and help them live more consciously or healthily. Whatever you do, it makes a difference. Ready to take a step forward?

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Y LL

S U O I SC N CO

value-driven retailer with a focus on food and health

YOU An accessible, sustainable and healthy range

more than 30,000 co-workers

N RI CA

more than 25 brands

more than 11,000 business partners

more than 4,500,000 customers

HE ALT

value-driven retailer with a focus on food and health

... towards a heal t h y so c i e ty

ENVIR ON ME NT A

ith big and small ste W . r ps he t e g To

FO RO NE ANOT HER

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We make conscious choices easy

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Why do we do this?

How do we do this?

More and more people want to make conscious choices when they do their shopping. Yet it is not always easy to know what is best to put in your shopping basket. That is why we want to help customers make conscious choices more quickly and easily. As a retailer with hundreds of food stores, we see it as our responsibility to keep conscious choices simple and affordable.

We continue to expand our range of plant-based products year after year. With the Green-score, customers quickly gain insight into the environmental impact of a product. We also reward the purchase of products with a Green-score of A+, A and B through the sustainable savings programme ‘Every step counts’ in Xtra. Customers can use their collected points for good causes, free products or inspiring webinars. This is how we make conscious choices visible and attractive.

Plant-based: delicious, easy and affordable Varying protein sources: at Colruyt, we make it easier every year. Last year, we gave our Boni Plan’t range a new look. This year, we are taking it one step further with a new option: plant-enriched meat. Think minced meat or burgers with 60% beef and 40% fava bean flour, or sausages with mushrooms and seaweed. We reduce the proportion of meat, without compromising on taste.

Today, we offer a broad range: from nuts, seeds and plant-based drinks to yoghurts, meat substitutes and now also plant-enriched meat. This gives customers more ways to vary between different protein sources. We are aiming for an average of 1,000 tonnes, or 3.8%, more plant-based products per year. At the same time, we want to show that plant-based choices today are accessible, varied, tasty and affordable.

29.58%

of the proteins sold in 2025 were plant-based

Ready to take a step forward? Try the Boni Plan’t range, the new plant-enriched meat option or the other plant-based products. It’s an extra step forward you can take in your own way.

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Okay makes switching easy Plant-based food difficult? No, easy! Okay proved that at the end of last year on the VUB campus in Etterbeek and at the beginning of this year on the Artevelde University of Applied Sciences campus in Ghent. Our neighbourhood supermarket launched something brand new: the very first Easy Switch pop-up shop. A fully unmanned store with a 100% plant-based range: switching had never been so easy. The temporary shop was open 24/7 for students, campus staff and local residents. Thanks to a smart cabinet system, you simply took what you needed, and payment was automatic and contactless. No checkouts, no waiting times, exactly where and when our customers want to shop. The range? More than 150 plant-based products, from quick snacks and brain food to nutritious meals. This is how Okay also got our student generation enthusiastic about the benefits of plant-based food.

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Together, we’ve saved 330 million points! Anyone walking through our stores, placing orders in our online stores or scrolling through food products in the Xtra app will no doubt have come across the Green-score. This score shows you immediately which products have a high or low environmental impact. Smart, right? Are you already buying products with Green-score A+, A and B? Good job! You save one point per product. Together, we have already saved more than 330 million points through the sustainable savings programme ‘Every step counts’ in the Xtra app. The next step: what to do with your points? Good question: you can use them for the good causes of Colruyt Group Foundation, free products in our stores or inspiring webinars from Colruyt Group Academy. This way, every good choice leads to the next step forward!

Ready to take a step forward? Have you already discovered your points in the Xtra app? Use them soon!

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We make healthy living more accessible Why do we do this? We believe healthy living should be achievable for everyone. And many of our brands can also make a difference in the daily lives of customers and employees. Nutrition, exercise, mental well-being, preventive health care, sleep or stress: every person has different needs or priorities. With our broad range, we are happy to help everyone take a step forward. How do we do this? We look at health in a global picture. That is why each of our brands uses its own expertise to help support healthier living. Our food stores make it easier to make conscious choices; Jims motivates people to move more and Newpharma provides personal advice on health and well-being. As an employer, we invest heavily in ergonomic working and encourage our employees to move more or follow personal development courses. At Colruyt Group Academy, we share practical tips to help people make choices that meet their needs. That is how we help people move forward, step by step.

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-72% sugar -80% saturated fat

Healthier eating, consciously and unconsciously What our customers put on their plates matters to us. That is why we keep improving our products. You can see this in the many private-label products with Nutri-Score A and B, such as Boni Plan’t peanut butter. “The Nutri-Score helps customers easily compare the nutritional value of products within the same range,” explains sustainability strategist Veerle Poppe. “It’s handy if you don’t want to study every label in detail. Fancy a less healthy snack now and then? Thanks to the Nutri-Score, you can immediately see which crisps are the better choice. We provide the information; you decide.”

But did you know that when you choose Boni, you also unconsciously make a healthier choice? Behind the scenes, our nutritionists are gradually improving the nutritional value of our private-label products, such as the pumpkin velouté that went from Nutri-Score C to B. That means less fat, salt and sugar, and more fibre. Then comes the test: do customers and employees still think the product tastes good? If so, you can find it in our stores. That is how we make healthier choices easier, without compromising on taste.

158 products improved across all our private labels in 2025

66.4 tonnes less sugar

156.5 tonnes less fat

14.3 tonnes less salt

16.1 tonnes extra fibre

Ready to take a step forward? Take up the challenge: eat only Nutri-Score A or B for one week. How? Go to collectandgo. be and tick off the right filters. Yes, sometimes taking a step forward really is that easy!

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Working out together Healthy living is not just about what is on your plate. Getting enough exercise also helps you feel good about yourself. That is why our brands keep launch initiatives to get people to exercise more in an easily accessible way.

From hospital to fitness club With the Move for Health programme, Jims helps people with a medical condition to keep physically active in an accessible way. After receiving treatment in hospital, people with conditions such as obesity, heart disease, cancer, mental health problems, or neck and back pain can continue their recovery at Jims. It is a safe transition from patient to club member in an environment full of enthusiastic people who continue to motivate them in the long term. It certainly worked for club member Nicole. After receiving treatment at the obesity clinic, she joined Jims Gent De Sterre. “No one looked at me strangely and I immediately felt supported by the warm community. I lost 20 kilos, but above all I gained self-confidence. At Jims, I found the safe start I needed.”

hospitals

Jims clubs

122

active participants

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Everyone welcome With initiatives such as Social gym too, we make exercising (more) achievable and accessible. As part of the VRT campaign ‘Kom van dat gat af’, 89 Jims clubs opened their doors. More than 5,000 people took part free of charge in group classes and workouts combining sports and connection.

Healthy movement at work Moving well and enough is important for everyone. Our employees also feel the difference that good posture and more movement can make. That is why we continuously pay attention to ergonomics. And we encourage those who sit for prolonged periods to walk a little more together.

Smarter lifting in our production Rails to move the cheese wheels to the right machine

Vacuum lifter does the heavy lifting

Cheese wheel of up to 120 kg, an average of 50 wheels per shift

Small adjustments, such as better working posture, adapted equipment or guidance, can make a big difference in jobs where people spend a lot of time standing, lifting, walking or working behind a screen. In the new Fine Food Cheese production hall, modern machines such as vacuum lifters help make the work lighter. By reducing lifting and turning movements and ensuring a good working height, we protect our colleagues’ backs, shoulders and arms.

Taking steps forward, literally In March, we got many colleagues with sedentary jobs moving. Together they logged more than 10,000 km in our Strava club ‘Colruyt Group Marches On’ by walking during their breaks. To this day, we see that this good habit has stuck.

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Growing as an employee Every day, we go all out for employees who feel good in both their professional and personal lives. Sometimes you need support after a difficult period or a medical injury. Or you may want to grow as a person or receive

guidance that fits your needs. That is why we invest in the development, well-being and support of our employees. Because our company grows as our people grow.

Guidance that counts

47.79 million

euros

invested in training and education in financial year 2025/26

1,667

100

employees followed a training course on personal growth in 2025

employees received guidance during reintegration or medical force majeure in 2025

210

employees are working with individual tailor-made support in 2026

... and so much more!

employees received lifestyle guidance through Yoboo in financial year 2025/26

“

Last year, I walked through the Spanish hills with a great group of colleagues. During the personal growth training course ‘A journey to yourself’, I consciously reflected on who I am, what I’m good at and where I can still grow. Charlotte Coppens, HR Business Partner Cru

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Healthy in your own way Healthy living means something different to everyone. That’s why we broaden our view of it. Through our stores, fitness clubs, Colruyt Group Academy and

health services, we help customers and employees make choices that suit them, step by step. Because health starts with what you want to do to feel better.

Free nutritional advice “For a month, Bio-Planet customers could come to me for free nutritional advice,” says qualified nutritionist Katrien Neveux. “Many people have the same questions: whether what you read about nutrition online is actually true, how to eat healthily despite a busy schedule, or how to recognise genuinely healthy products. It was great to see how positive all the customers were afterwards!”

Pharmacist within easy reach Sometimes you have a question that is not urgent but still stays on your mind. About sleep, stress, nutrition, pregnancy or the correct use of medicines. You can quickly find a lot of information online, but not always the right answer for your situation. With Pharma Consult, a Newpharma pharmacist helps you online within the hour with personal advice.

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We reduce our environmental impact Why are we doing this? Our logistics and transport, our stores and other buildings, our products and how they are produced: everything we do as a company requires energy and raw materials. As a result, we have an impact on the environment. We are constantly working on solutions to reduce that impact further. How are we doing this? We reduce our emissions in every area: we are making our own transport emission-free and help our transport partners to take that step forward too. We only build low-energy stores without using fossil fuels as well. We manage natural resources as water with care. This is how we reduce our emissions step by step. For the emissions we cannot avoid, we continue to build complementary solutions, such as our forest project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

STAP VOOR STAP

1.6

million km emission-free (40 times around the world)

Well on track towards emission-free transport “Did you know that our own freight fleet consists of more than 800 vehicles?” says Lieselot Rouquart, Division Manager Supply Chain Transport. “It mostly concerns the 250 vans used by Colruyt Group Technics, but also the 150 refrigerated box trucks used by Solucious and 40 44-tonne tractor units for Colruyt.” “These are large numbers, so we have chosen a carefully considered approach. By 2030, we want to make our own freight transport emission-free, using both battery-electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles. We are making progress step by step: last year, we drove more than 1.6 million kilometres completely emission-free.”

“In addition to our own vehicles, an average of around 500 extra vehicles belonging to transport partners daily hit the road for Colruyt, Okay, Okay City, Bio-Planet, CoMarkt, our Fine Food production activities and Retail Partners. By 2035, we will also make this type of transport completely emission-free. We will do this together with our transport partners, with whom we are building long-term solutions.” “Our efforts to achieve emission-free transport are first and foremost for the environment. At the same time, the international conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East show how dependent we still are today on fossil fuels. That is why we are building a more sustainable and more autonomous energy system.”

Employees are also choosing alternatives We encourage our employees to choose emission-free alternatives for commuting to work. Today, more than 80% of company cars are low-emission or emission-free. Since 2025, all new company cars have also been fully electric. Even more remarkable is the strong growth in the number of employees using the mobility budget to choose alternatives such as public transport, shared mobility or cycling. Since the introduction of the mobility budget, their number has doubled: a clear success. STEP BY STEP

Conscious shopping in an energy-efficient building We own more than 500 buildings. For us, energy-efficient construction is therefore a meaningful way to reduce our environmental impact. Our target is ambitious: by 2030, 90% of our stores in Belgium will be low-energy stores. At the same time, we are making stores free of fossil fuels. Look here at how we approached this in the Colruyt store in Temse. We are also conscious of energy use once a store has been built. Anyone who shops at Colruyt knows that the chilled area with fresh products is separated by flap doors to waste less energy. The chest freezers follow the same principle: they consume far less than upright freezers with glass doors. This also benefits our customers: by reducing our energy consumption wherever we can, we help maintain our lowest-price promise.

Where do we stand today across all our brands?

351

low-energy stores

162

fossil-fuel-free stores

STEP BY STEP

Thinner exterior wall panels

We made our grey concrete exterior wall panels 3 centimetres thinner. By using less concrete, we save 26 tonnes of CO₂.

CO2-negative masonry blocks All walls, such as those in the technical rooms, are built with masonry blocks made from recycled materials. During the production process, they also absorb CO₂: a difference of 60 tonnes of CO₂ for the Colruyt store in Temse.

Solar panels

These solar panels produce 264 MWh a year, of which we use only 122 MWh, or 46%, ourselves. The surplus goes back to the grid.

CO2-negative red exterior wall brick The red exterior wall brick is not a clay brick; it consists of 80% residual flows that harden with CO₂. This means this material also absorbs CO₂ during production instead of emitting CO₂!

Natural refrigerants

Throughout the store, we cool and heat using natural refrigerants instead of fossil fuels, resulting in 90% fewer greenhouse gases.

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Using resources more wisely As a retailer, we use raw materials every day for our products, packaging, stores and logistics. Due to population growth and rising consumption, those resources have become scarcer. Through our circular approach, we ensure that all resources are efficiently used as long as possible. Over the past year, we once again achieved a great deal.

Water is one of the most important resources we use sparingly and therefore circularly. By 2030, we want 50% of our total water consumption to come from wastewater and rainwater. Today, we are at 38%. At the same time, a large share of our private-label packaging is now recyclable or reusable. Two concrete steps forward that help make the difference.

Water recovery up to standard Peter Basteleus, responsible for our water use: “It used to bother me that residents of Halle were not allowed to water their lawns, knowing that we were using more mains water than they were. We had to do something about that. First and foremost, by purifying and reusing more wastewater. At our Colruyt Group Fine Food production site in Stroppen, for example, we already purify just over half of the wastewater to drinking water quality. Over the course of this year, we even want to recover up to 85% of the water there.” “In addition, we try to use as much rainwater as possible, for sanitary facilities and cooling, among other things. Thanks to large buffers, such as the 9,500 m³ water basin (the equivalent of four Olympic swimming pools) at the Dassenveld logistics site, we are further reducing our dependence on mains water.” Do you like to dive into all things water? More information and an interview with Peter are available at colruytgroup. com/circular-watermanagement

50% 38% wastewater and rainwater recovered

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target for

2030 2026

From waste to packaging Colruyt is the first supermarket in Belgium to use meat trays with polystyrene from advanced recycling. They are made from PMD waste such as yoghurt pots and foam trays. “We can be proud of this first,” says purchasing manager Ludo Vanderelst. “Until now, we could not simply use recycled polystyrene for food packaging. Those packs did contain recycled material, but it came from traditional mechanical recycling, where there always has to be a barrier between the packaging and the product to guarantee food safety.” “Our new trays are just as safe as packaging made from new plastic and can be recycled again. Colruyt will use around 66 tonnes of this recycled material every year, which is simular to around 10% of the total weight of its meat trays.”

Ready to take a step forward? Belgium has high recycling rates. Keep sorting carefully, because that way we can recycle even more material to a high standard. For anyone in doubt: bettersorting.be!

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Much more than 7 million trees Earlier, you read how we are doing everything we can to reduce our emissions. Even so, we remain realistic: as a large retailer, we will always continue to emit some emissions. To absorb part of those remaining emissions, we keep investing in our forest project. This is how we are taking the final steps towards net-zero emissions. 50,000 tonnes

Our CO₂ emissions CO₂ captured by our forest

2026

2027

2028

2029

2030

2031

The negative value in 2027 is easy to explain: to plant a forest, you first have to prepare the site. This has a short-term negative impact: one small step back so we can take two steps forward later. In our N’situ Pelende forest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we have planted 7 million trees. But we do so much more. The everenthusiastic Jan Schockaert explains: “Growing our forest together with the local community is fantastic. And we are doing it in a well-considered way: for example, we collect tree seeds from the surrounding forests together with the local population. This will turn our forest into a rich native forest with 36 different tree species, including 4 endangered species. With every tree we plant, the forest will absorb more carbon and contribute to our climate efforts.”

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“But I would also like people to know that our efforts go beyond planting millions of trees. Last year, we opened a second cassava factory, planted bananas, harvested pineapples, carried out repair works to the bridge we built there — too many things to list. And in the coming year, we will focus on building schools and health centres. Everything we do is aimed at strengthening the local community economically and socially. As you can see, this project is now much more than 7 million trees.”

“

Our forest helps absorb our remaining emissions. Doing this together with the local community is fantastic. Jan Schockaert, forest project manager

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We create opportunities and engagement Why do we do this? Everyone deserves opportunities. As a retailer with millions of customers, 30,000 employees and 11,000 partners, we also have the ability and the strength to make a positive contribution together. And we do this through meaningful steps forward for the generation of today and the generation of tomorrow. How do we do this? We believe that everyone deserves opportunities and want to increase engagement in our society. That is why Colruyt Group Foundation supports dozens of organisations that help young people develop their talents and find their way. We also support people in vulnerable contexts, including through food-related initiatives, where we as a retailer can make the greatest difference. As an employer, we also pay attention to the barriers and challenges our employees face. In this way, step by step, we create more opportunities for more people.

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Young people are the future “As a corporate foundation, we support young people from socio-economically vulnerable contexts in developing their full potential, among other things,” says Jelle Huwé, project coordinator at Colruyt Group Foundation. “For example, in their studies or in finding work. In Belgium, we do this with partners such as BOOST, an organisation we have been working with since 2014. We provide not only financial support, but also tools and expertise.”

BOOST clearly has a positive impact. “The programme teaches you to tackle your own challenges and develop yourself,” confirms participant Mustafa Kayikci. “At the same time, you become a role model for other young people. I noticed it when I taught robotics in secondary school!”

secondary education

65%

higher education

32%

graduated without BOOST

85%

secondary education

60%

higher education

graduated with BOOST

A school that opens doors We have also been supporting young people in Indonesia through scholarships since 2003. Around five years ago, Colruyt Group Foundation and Colruyt Group Real Estate joined forces to build a school in Semarang. The building was inaugurated in early 2026. Eventually, around 300 young people from vulnerable backgrounds will be able to follow secondary education there in a range of fields each year. During the inauguration, Lisa Colruyt, director of Colruyt Group Foundation, moved the audience with her words: “This new school illustrates our commitment in Indonesia. It is a sign of hope, sustainable cooperation and what becomes possible when people keep dreaming and taking action together.”

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Food connects Letting food go to waste when others could make good use of it does not feel right. That is why, year after year, we put effort in donating food to organisations such as the Food Banks and, through our foundation, support initiatives that bring people together through food.

Two record donations

35%

1,000

in 2026 compared with 2025

in 2025 compared with 2024

Every year, we also organise a collection campaign for the Food Banks. This year, it raised around €185,000, or roughly 92,500 meals. To motivate customers, we took a different approach this time. We made their contribution very concrete and easy: not an amount, but a meal package, donated with a single scan. A success!

Last year, our stores and distribution centres donated more than 10,000 tonnes of food to more than 400 local social associations. And the figures remain just as strong this year. This is the result of our efficient approach and a growing store network. In our distribution centres, too, we are sorting better all the time, allowing us to set aside more high-quality products. This makes us the most structural partner for the Food Banks, Foodsavers and La Croix-Rouge. In this way, good-quality food that we can no longer sell reaches the people who need it most.

more meals donated

Ready to take a step forward? Support the Food Banks all year round, even after our collection campaign. Your gesture makes a difference at any time. Support them via colruytgroup.com/ en/foodbanks

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tonnes

more food donated

Cooking with leftovers With the support of Colruyt Group Foundation, volunteers cook more than 500 plant-based meals every week in the DREAMKITCHEN run by the organisation Cultureghem in Anderlecht. They use surplus food: usually vegetables and fruit that would otherwise end up in the bin after the markets at Abattoir.

In a neighbourhood where healthy meals cannot be taken for granted, they learn to cook nutritious food. Anne Watthee of the nonprofit organisation Cultureghem says: “Our kitchen is deliberately outdoors: no doors, no barriers. Anyone who comes by can join in. Afterwards, everyone also has the chance to eat together for a contribution of their choice.”

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Well-being at work and at home We support not only young people and people in vulnerable situations. Our own employees sometimes need support too. We do this together through the Solidarity Fund, a unique and wonderful initiative. Other initiatives, such as language lessons for non-native-speaking talent, also contribute to our employees’ well-being.

The Solidarity Fund: by colleagues, for colleagues For more than 65 years, the Solidarity Fund has helped colleagues with a financial boost when they face high costs due to illness, serious storm damage, a bereavement and more. Behind the fund is not a large insurance company, but thousands of colleagues who each contribute through their membership fee or through the proceeds from the coffee fund at central services or events. Every euro goes directly to a colleague who is struggling. Together, we make sure no one has to face challenges alone. Colleague Glenn De Backer, department head Purchasing at Marketing Communication Services, has experienced this at first hand: “Three years ago, our 16-year-old son was hit by a van. He is still in rehabilitation today. He will probably never be able to work, but he is extremely motivated. Medical equipment such as a raised toilet seat, a wheelchair and ramps, consultations, speech therapy: it all adds up. The Solidarity Fund offers support with this. Those many small contributions really make a difference to us.”

Founded in 1960

+ 16,315 members ± 290 cases per quarter

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Growing in confidence through language lessons By 2030, we want to increase diversity in our company and ensure an inclusive working environment in terms of language, age, gender and ethno-cultural background. This past year, Gilbert Ofori Dadzie took another step forward in his knowledge of Dutch thanks to our language lessons.

“

At Solucious, I follow Dutch lessons during working hours. A wonderful initiative! I can practise straight away with colleagues, so I make faster progress and we can work together more smoothly. I feel appreciated, proud and more independent. Gilbert Ofori Dadzie, support office Solucious

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We strengthen our chains from producer to customer Why do we do this? Behind every product is a chain of farmers, producers and partners. As a retailer, we are more than a link between producer and customer. We invest in strong, future-oriented chains, both in Belgium and abroad. In doing so, we focus on a fair income for producers, good working conditions, and respect for people, animals and the environment. This helps create the conditions for a sustainable food supply in the long term. How do we do this? Our position in the chain enables us to bring producers and our customers closer together. Through long-term partnerships, we support farmers and producers in Belgium and abroad: this gives them greater certainty and helps them work more sustainably, step by step. To do this, we join forces with organisations such as Fairtrade and share knowledge to strengthen local chains. For some Belgian regional products, we manage the entire chain ourselves: from production to sale in our stores. In this way, we create new local food chains from A to Z and help invest in the future of the Belgian food sector.

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Growing together in Belgium More than 6,000 Belgian farmers supply products for our stores every day. We work more closely with 600 farmers to build stronger local chains. This became clear last year, when our potato growers were faced with large surpluses. We used various channels to encourage customers to buy more potatoes. For the remaining surpluses, we worked together to find a valuable destination, for example through the Food Banks. Thanks to our long-term agreements, the growers also received their agreed purchase price, despite prices falling sharply. “Whatever the season brings, whatever happens, we know that in the end we will receive fair payment,” concludes Henk Dewaele, potato grower in Ruiselede. Sometimes we go one step further and take the whole chain from A to Z into our own hands: from production and processing to sale in our stores. With our own sea farm off the coast of Nieuwpoort and our vineyard Domaine Lez-Envies in Frasnes-lez-Anvaing, we strengthen local food chains and help invest in Belgian agriculture and food. So this year, we were able to put a pot of mussels with a delicious white wine on the menu ourselves! You can find the 90 tonnes of mussels under the name Bel’Mer at Colruyt, Okay and Spar, and the 8,500 bottles of Pas de Soucis white wine at Cru, Boir, Solucious and Colruyt Professionals.

A fair income for cocoa farmers Farmers outside Belgium also deserve a fair income for their products. During the past St Nicholas and Easter seasons, we joined forces with Tony’s Chocolonely for the first time. Since then, we have been making our Boni seasonal chocolate with fair cocoa from their Tony’s Open Chain programme. It aims to tackle poverty and child labour through a

higher purchase price, longer-term cooperation and support for farmer groups. This initiative is not our first. At the end of 2024, we had already expanded our direct cooperation with cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire and partners as Fairtrade, Puratos and Rikolto to the full range of Boni chocolate bars.

STEP BY STEP

Want to know more about our steps forward? In this publication, above all, we want to inspire you as a reader. Behind every step we take, there is so much more. On our website, you can find all our sustainability initiatives, our long-term targets, detailed policy texts, partnerships and commitments. And in our sustainability report, you will find our annual accounts for each target. We keep careful track of every step we take, so everyone knows where we stand today and in which direction we want to go.

You can always find more background and up-todate information on our website colruytgroup.com

The sustainability report, with an overview of the achievements from the past financial year 20252026, can be found in our annual report.

STEP BY STEP

Want to take a step forward yourself? Inspiring people to live consciously and healthily every day. That is what Colruyt Group Academy is all about. We want to help you and your family live consciously, healthily and positively, step by step. How? Very simply: with accessible and practical workshops or webinars. No grand theories, but achievable tips and concrete ideas. You learn from experts, exchange ideas with others, and share those new insights with the people around you. No big leaps, but small daily steps that make the difference. That one conscious choice, that one healthy habit, that one positive thought. One step forward. Every step counts.

Creating opportunities together for the young people of today and tomorrow. At Colruyt Group Foundation, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to develop and help build a sustainable future. That is why we focus on young people’s personal growth: in self-knowledge, skills and competences. An essential condition for this is the right to healthy, sustainable food. At the same time, we recognise the impact of food on our planet and commit to a future in which young people can grow up in a healthy living environment. To make this happen, we work together with non-profit organisations in Belgium and abroad. Together, we are taking steps towards a healthy society on a healthy planet, keeping in mind the generations to come. One step forward. Every step counts.

STEP BY STEP

Thank you for taking steps forward together