PepsiCo has announced a multi-million-pound investment in a rooftop solar project at its Southern Region Distribution Centre (SRDC) in Leicester, reinforcing the company’s commitment to reducing emissions and advancing sustainable operations across its UK facilities.

The project is being developed in collaboration with energy infrastructure specialist Ineco Energy and will involve installing solar panels across approximately 30,000 square metres of roof space—an area equivalent to nearly four football pitches. Once operational, the system is expected to generate enough electricity to meet 100% of the logistics centre’s annual energy demand, reducing reliance on the national grid.

The 3.56 MWp rooftop solar installation is projected to produce around 2.84 GWh of renewable electricity each year, which is sufficient to power roughly 1,000 homes in the UK annually. Surplus power generated during the day will be used to support operations at the adjacent Walkers crisps manufacturing facility, one of the world’s largest crisp production plants.

The £3.6 million solar investment follows a £14 million upgrade completed at the distribution centre in 2021. The Leicester facility plays a central role in PepsiCo’s UK supply chain, employing around 240 people and distributing products from the company’s six manufacturing plants across the country. The earlier upgrade introduced advanced logistics technologies and state-of-the-art equipment to improve operational efficiency.

Construction of the solar installation is currently underway and is expected to be completed by September 2026.

Andy Smethurst, UK Warehousing and Logistics Director at PepsiCo, stated that the project represents a significant milestone for the company’s sustainability efforts. He noted that Leicester is already home to one of the world’s largest crisp factories, and the addition of a complex rooftop solar system demonstrates PepsiCo’s continued efforts to power its facilities more sustainably.

The solar project forms part of a broader series of sustainability initiatives implemented by PepsiCo across its UK operations. These include the installation of electric ovens at its Leicester facility, energy-efficient manufacturing equipment at its Coventry site, and upgraded fryers at the Brigg plant, home to Pipers crisps. Collectively, these measures have reduced the company’s greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 2,400 tonnes annually.

Commenting on the development, UK Climate Minister Katie White welcomed the initiative, noting that rooftop solar installations such as this contribute to reducing emissions, lowering operational costs, and strengthening national energy security.

Angus Rose, Director at Ineco Energy, said the project will become one of the largest rooftop solar systems in the UK food manufacturing sector once completed. He added that the installation required a collaborative and technically advanced approach, and the company looks forward to continuing its partnership with PepsiCo during the construction and operational phases.

The Leicester rooftop solar project highlights the growing role of on-site renewable energy solutions in supporting corporate decarbonization strategies and strengthening the UK’s transition toward cleaner energy systems.