REWE Group has joined the Sustainability Initiative Fruit and Vegetables (SIFAV), reinforcing its approach to responsible sourcing across fresh produce supply chains serving Germany supermarkets.
The retailer confirmed the move on January 5, becoming part of the international initiative coordinated by IDH. SIFAV brings together retailers, producers, and suppliers with the stated aim of making global fruit and vegetable supply chains more environmentally and socially sustainable.
According to the initiative’s framework, SIFAV focuses on key areas including climate protection, responsible water management, regenerative agriculture, living wages, and safe working conditions throughout the fruit and vegetable supply chain. The programme is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the European Union’s Farm to Fork strategy.
By joining SIFAV, REWE Group is formally aligning its fresh produce sourcing with an established international sustainability framework. The move places sustainability considerations directly within procurement processes rather than treating them as standalone or voluntary commitments.
SIFAV is designed to support implementation at supply-chain level through cooperation between retailers and suppliers. The initiative aims to improve transparency and consistency in how sustainability standards are applied across different sourcing regions and production systems.
For fresh produce suppliers, retailer participation in initiatives such as SIFAV signals clearer expectations around environmental and social practices. While SIFAV operates as a collaborative platform, it also reflects the broader direction of travel in European grocery retail, where sustainability criteria are increasingly embedded into sourcing decisions.
The decision by REWE Group comes amid growing regulatory and market pressure across the European food sector. Sustainability requirements linked to agriculture, labour standards, and environmental impact are playing a more prominent role in how retailers structure supplier relationships, particularly in fresh produce categories with complex global supply chains.
As supermarkets continue to align sourcing with international sustainability initiatives, growers, exporters, and intermediaries supplying the German market face a landscape where recognised frameworks such as SIFAV are becoming more central to long-term retail partnerships.
Editor’s note: This article is based solely on official information published by REWE Group regarding its cooperation with the Sustainability Initiative Fruit and Vegetables (SIFAV) and publicly available descriptions of the initiative. No additional data, commitments, or estimates have been added.
