Environmental-friendly cooling: Port-A-Cool evaporative cooler

The world is becoming more sensitive to the term “green” and what it means to our environment and the health of our planet. Many companies are rushing to redefine their products and business practices to “go green”. Some companies, however, have always been green without even trying to be politically correct. It was just the right thing to do. Port-A-Cool, LLC, is one of those companies.

For example, the flagship product for the company is the Port-A-Cool® portable evaporative cooling unit, manufactured in Center, Texas. The unit features a one-piece, rotationally molded plastic housing which is leak and rust proof and produced at the company’s manufacturing facility. The company recycles all scrap plastic from the manufacture of the units, reducing waste and harm to our environment.

In addition, the unit itself uses a cooling method that is environmentally friendly. The ancient Egyptians used the same principles of evaporative cooling to cool their homes by hanging a damp mat in the doorway and allowing the wind to evaporative the water and provide cooling. Port-A-Cool® units utilize the same natural cooling methods, but have implemented state-of-the-art technology to perfect the process, always keeping in mind the company’s commitment to preserving our environment. Port-A-Cool® units use less than a dollar a day in resources to provide air an average of 7-15 degrees celsius cooler than surrounding air. Because the Port-A-Cool® unit uses a natural cooling process, no harmful greenhouse gases, like CO2 expelled from traditional air conditioning systems, are released into the air to harm our ozone layer.

An environmentally friendly process for cooling, coupled with being “green” before “green” was cool. That has always been the “natural” choice for Port-A-Cool, LLC.

For more information, or to locate a distributor near you, call +34- 932 312 810 or Or, you can visit us online at www.lc-europe.com.

The price barrier to sustainable shopping

Financial constraints are restricting ‘green and ethical living’, according to the British-based division of market researchers Mintel.

Indeed, one in five consumers are not in a financial position to think about green or ethical issues. Even before the recession, price premiums were a barrier to more widespread take-up of green and ethical products and the evidence of altered priorities is that 12% of adults stated that they could no longer afford price premiums for green or ethical products.

However, the new report also shows a strong commitment to ethical and environmental issues, as those rating them as ‘very important’ were actually up marginally on 2008. Today, some 97% of adults have adopted at least one of the greener behaviours included in the survey, implying that there is a strong basis of support for further green initiatives, such as energy-saving ideas, if retailers and manufacturers were to provide positive leadership.

Indeed, in terms of low cost greener actions such as using re-usable bags and switching to low energy light bulbs behaviour has been unaffected by the recession.

Australian research released this year by IBISWorld has highlighted the cost of shopping with a conscience, while a study by Unilever showed that 51% of Australians were more concerned by sustainability this year than last.

Click here to read further.

Source: http://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/2009/10/15/the-price-barrier-to-sustainable-shopping.html

Tesco lives the green life: Play the game!

Trying to live a greener, more environmentally responsible life can be very confusing.

Which is why Tesco has just launched Greener Living , to help the environmentally-aware shopper make the right decisions. The site covers many aspects of going greener, including sections on ecofriendly travel and greener homes. There's an interactive house with lots of money-saving green tips and products, fun stuff for the kids and how to eat greener – all with sustainability in mind. It also features updates on Tesco’s own commitment to environmental responsibility.

To launch this new site there's a fun flash game. The game is simple but challenging to play - can you collect the environmentally-friendly produce, while avoiding the energy-guzzlers and the pesky birds? Have a go and you could win one of five energy-efficient Indesit washing machines.

Assortment of sustainable products still limited

A research done by GfK in The Netherlands shows that 3,9 million Dutch people purchase sustainable products, but the assortment is still limited. This states the Dutch food speciality magazine Distrifood. The author of the book “Boodschappenbolwerk”, Frits Kremer, signalizes that supermarkets are talking for over years about the theme sustainability in the food sector and green retailing, but they act insufficiently green.

Dutch food retailer leader Albert Heijn introduced the private label Pure&Honoust, Jumbo introduced the conscious label and Super de Boer supermarkets pays a lot of attention to the animal welfare. This is what several speakers state at the congress of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), an international organization for the certification of sustainable caught fish.

The Dutch supermarkets belong to the leading companies with the sustainable fish, last year the total products with MSC logo increased with 165 products, to reach a total of 344 products.

Job vacancy Jos de Vries The Retail Company: Creative director Branding & Communication

Jos de Vries The Retail Company develops and realizes international progressive retail concepts with a right balance of creativity and commercial profitability. With conceptual thinking we work on the vision of the clients. This results into the realization of commercial succesfull store formulas with an own identity. Next to the central office in Maarssen (The Netherlands) we have offices in Spain, Germany and Russia.

We are on the search of a Creative Director Branding & Communication.

In this job you will be responsable for the development of the brand strategy and graphic communication for several international accounts in our agency. You work together with other creative directors (3D) to realize a total concept. Internally and externally you will be the contact person for the quality of the proejct as well as the progress of the project. You will manage the project team. Together with the management team you will decide the company vision and the strategical policy in the area of branding and communication. You are responsable for your turn-over, you will play an active role in the marketing and communication of our office. With your unique combination of creativity and commercial perception you are an inspiring partner for our clients and colleagues developing progressive retail concepts.

You will work from our head office in Maarssen (The Netherlands) and your working area will be whole Europe.

Background and education:

• Graphical design education at university level
• Several years of experience in the world of retail design with project responsability
• Inspiring personality with vision and power to convince
• Experience with communication on management level
• Prepareness to work independently as well as operating in project teams
• Knowledge of the European retail market
• Strongly developed sense for marketing and communication
• Excellent command of spoken and written English and German
• Availability to frequent travelling

For more information on our organization check http://www.josdevries.eu. For personal adjustments you can contact Jasmijn Prinssen by telephone +31 346 563764.

We look forward to receive your curriculum vitae and cover letter by e-mail info@josdevries.eu or by post: Jos de Vries The Retail Company BV, Postbus 1194, 3600 BD Maarssen.

http://www.josdevries.eu

Starbucks introduces in Spain its eco-efficient store concept

Back in 2002, Starbucks opened its first store, located in the Palace Hotel in the Madrilenean street Plaza de Neptuno. Seven years later, the emblematic store of the cafetaria chain reopened its doors with a totally new design, focusing on the environmental policy of the company.

The company used the renovation of the store not Orly to add more space (from 70 sqm up to 200 sqm), but also for the application of sustainable measurements in the building, the use of material and the new techniques to save energy, water and recycling.

The project forms part of the company´s project Shared Planet, the social responsability, converts the store in Madrid into the first store with this characteristics of Spain and the second one in Europe (the other one is located in Eurodisney in Parijs) and the fourth store of the world (in the United States, in Seattle there are 2 other stores).

Tesco Strikes LEED Gold in California

U.K. retailer’s first LEED Gold-certified store opens near Palm Springs

Environmentally friendly design has been a hallmark of the Tesco’s 125 Fresh and Easy stores opened in the U.S. since 2007. Now, the British grocery store giant is taking its green theme a step further with today’s debut of its first LEED Gold-certified Fresh and Easy store in Cathedral City, California.

Like other Fresh and Easy stores, the new location features energy efficient lighting and refrigeration. For example, skylights and oversized windows bring in more daylight, allowing overhead lights to dim automatically when natural lighting levels are sufficient. Refrigeration units use an estimated 10 percent less than standard models.

Retailers from all over the world share retailers best green practises

Greening Retail Program tackles environmental issues with new study and website.

(TORONTO, SEPTEMBER 28, 2009)- The retail industry is a significant part of the Canadian economy with more than 1.2 billion square feet of space and sales of $425 billion in 2008. According to Greening Retail, an initiative lead by the Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA), Canadian retailers and their suppliers are responsible for more than 40 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually, six million tones of waste, and millions of kilometers travelled by trucks from around the world to every corner in Canada.

If just five per cent of retailers and their suppliers reduce energy use by 10 per cent, the estimated energy savings in one year would be equivalent to the energy required to power half a million homes and would result in a reduction of 1.4 million tonnes of greenhouse gases, the equivalent of removing 233,000 cars from the road for a year. Greening Retail’s new research report Best Environmental Practices From Around the World 2009, conducted by Evans and Company Consultants, and redesigned website were launched today. The report examines 15 of the top best-practice environmental retail leaders in the world, identifying their strategies and tactics in detail and outlining the ROI that can come from sustainable practices.

Here are some key findings from the study:

Grocery store chains are the earliest adopters of environmental best practices, followed by department stores and other large space users, and then specialty stores Environmental strategy needs to fit the company size and structure Top three ROI action points include: Appointing champions throughout the organization, reducing energy and reducing waste 13 of 15 companies produced a CSR report Over 80 per cent of the companies measure and track energy usage, waste produced and diverted, CO2 emissions, transportation and water usage.

“We found that there is strong support for environmental programs from leading Canadian retailers but they still face challenges when it comes to adopting best practices due to the lack of programs, research or identified returns on investments specifically for the retail sector,” said Bernie McIntyre, Manager Community Transformation Programs, Toronto and Region Conservation and project lead for the Greening Retail initiative. “The Greening Retail Program aims to fill the information gap for the industry. Access to relevant and practical data and best practices is critical for retailers to reduce their environmental footprint, save money and improve their bottom line.”

The 2009 study and redesigned website will be showcased at the International Council of Shopping Centers, Inc (ICSC) Canadian Convention Deal Making and Trade Expo, Sept. 21-23 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (Toronto and Region Conservation’s exhibit: booth G3). The redesigned website will support the study, contain research results and include tools such as: a searchable database of case studies covering environmental policies and governance; energy conservation; green energy; solid waste; water use; transportation; green products; supply chain/purchasing; staff training; customer education and marketing; corporate social responsibility reporting; benchmarks and green sites.

The site also hosts implementation resources in 14 categories of environmental best practices. A Greening Retail Blog and Forum are also in the works for retailers to interact with experts. “Through the study we were able learn what made the world’s top environmental retailers successful in greening their business,” said McIntyre. “We’ve taken this information and turned it into a useful report and integrated case studies and other findings into the website. We hope it will become an important resource for the industry and help the retail sector with its green transformation.” About Greening Retail Developed by Toronto and Region Conservation in 2008, Greening Retail undertakes research, develops resources and programs, and facilitates demonstration projects to help retailers implement environmental best practices.

Greening Retail works in partnership with sector leaders, government agencies and other organizations to provide retailers with the strategies and tools they need in order to take action. Program partners include: Ted Rogers School of Management, Ryerson University, Centre for the Study of Commercial Activity, Ryerson University, Retail Council of Canada, ESADE in Spain, University of Stirling, Hitotsubashi University, Evans & Company Consultants Inc., University of Metz, Sustainable Retailing Consortium - National Retail Federation. Sponsors includes Smart!Centres and Environment Canada. For more information go to www.greeningretail.ca Toronto and Region Conservation With over 50 years of experience, Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA) helps people understand, enjoy and look-after the natural environment. Our vision is for The Living City®, where human settlement can flourish forever as part of nature's beauty and diversity. For more information, call 416-661-6600 or visit the website www.trca.on.ca

Consumers link sustainability to food quality

The Australian retail website Australian Food News published the market research of Packaged Facts and The Hartman Group. In this market research they have discovered a close relationship between consumer perceptions of sustainability and food quality that could impact on shopping behaviour.

Sustainability means different things to different people. Asked to identify what the term means to them, consumers most frequently respond “the ability to last over time” and “the ability to support oneself”. Sustainability is also strongly associated with environmental concerns, whereby consumers are being challenged to develop and express an “eco-consciousness” in their daily habits and purchases. But using “eco-conscious” or “green” as synonymous with sustainability unduly limits the frame of reference; these older terms fail to acknowledge the variety of social, economic and environmental issues that real-world individuals believe to be important to sustaining themselves, their communities, and society at large.

Consequently, as consumers become more educated about the environmental, social, and economic implications of food and beverage choices, their health and wellness motivations dovetail with larger societal concerns. A close relationship develops between sustainability and emerging definitions of food quality, as consumers use sustainable attributes to infer food quality, and food quality to infer sustainability.

Source: Australian Food News

Click here to read the rest of this article

New biological food store concept Goodyfood

The Dutch biological wholesaler Natudis opened in the Dutch city of Hilversum its first biological store Goodyfood. The franchise formula focuses on clients between 25 and 40 years who are "Distrifood" living conscious. The store concept is focusing on locations in cities and with good results international expansion belongs to the possibilities. The concept can be positioned between the Natuurwinkel (nature store) concept and Marqt.

Walmart Canada launches first high-efficiency store

Walmart Canada has opened its first high-efficiency (HE) prototype store in Waterdown, Ontario. The Supercentre is expected to use 30% less energy and will integrate industry-leading heating, cooling and refrigeration systems to conserve energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Commenting on the opening, David Cheesewright, President and CEO for Walmart Canada, said "As we design and build new stores, our goal is to be the greenest business on the block. We continue to pilot new technologies, drive innovation and experiment with new prototypes to create some of the most sustainable stores in retail. With our new sustainable prototypes, we are on track to achieve our environmental goals, which include using less energy, and producing less waste."

Source: IGD Analysis

Best practises in green retailing: Nestlé water Eco-shape bottle

http://www.jdv-trc.blogspot.com
http://www.greensupermarket.blogspot.com

Kohl's Department Stores to receive EPA 'green' award

Kohl’s Department Stores will be named Green Power Partner of the Year during the annual Green Power Leadership Awards held Monday in Atlanta.

The Green Power Leadership Awards recognize the actions of organizations, programs and individuals that significantly advance the development of green power resources in on-site generation, green power purchase and Partner of the Year.

This is the third consecutive year Kohl’s will receive a Green Power Leadership Award, earning recognition for green power purchase in 2007 and on-site generation in 2008. This is Kohl’s first time receiving the Green Power Partner of the Year Award, which recognizes four EPA Green Power Partners annually who distinguish themselves through their green power purchases, leadership, overall strategy and impact on the green power market.

Kohl’s ranks second in retail, fourth overall and fourth among Fortune 500 companies on the EPA’s list of top Green Power Purchasers with a 2009 green power purchase of 600,990,000 kilowatt hours, which is enough to meet 50 percent of the company’s purchased electricity use. Kohl’s ranks ninth on EPA’s list of Green Power Partners that generate and consume the most green power on-site with 19,126,000 kilowatt hours of on-site green power usage from solar.

Source: The Business Journal of Milwaukee

The major points of Organic foods

A recent report by the French Agency for Food Safety (AFSSA) has suggested that organic foods are more nutritious just a month after a UK report argued there was currently little evidence to indicate that organic food had additional health benefits compared to conventionally produced food.

The major points of The French Agency for Food Safety study are:
1. Organic plant products contain more dry matter (more nutrient dense)
2. Organic plant products have higher levels of minerals
3. Organic plant products contain more anti-oxidants such as phenols and salicylic acid (known to protect against cancers, heart disease and many other health problems)
4. Carbohydrate, protein and vitamin levels are insufficiently documented
5. 94-100% of organic foods do not contain any pesticide residues
6. Organic vegetables contain far less nitrates, about 50% less
7. Organic cereals contain similar levels of mycotoxins as conventional ones
8. Organically-bred cattle have more lean meat and more polyunsaturated fatty acids than their conventional counterparts
9. Organic chicken fillets contain 2-3 times less fat and are significantly higher in n-3 fatty acid content (with reported anti-cancer effects and other health benefits).
The full scientific report can be found at swroc.cfans.umn.edu/organic/ASD_Lairon_2009.pdf

Shopping centre recycling trial cuts waste

A recycling initiative launched at Indooroopilly Shopping Centre is expected to significantly reduce waste to landfill by enabling shoppers to recycle.Thursday’s official launch of the program at the Queensland mall is the first of a national roll out in a joint initiative led by the Packaging Stewardship Forum (PSF) of the Australian Food and Grocery Council and supported by the Queensland Government, the National Packaging Covenant and Lend Lease managed shopping centres nationally.

Read further: http://www.insideretailing.com.au/Latest/tabid/53/ID/6238/Shopping-centre-recycling-trial-cuts-waste.aspx

Unilever introduces environment logo on their washing powders

The Unilever washing powders of the brands OMO, Robijn Klein & Krachtig and Sun Green Power from now on can be recognized by the Cleaner Planet Plan-logo. Unilever wants to make clear that purchasing these products is an environmental decision.

With the Cleaner Planet Plan, Unilever saves on water, garbage, CO2 emissions and the use of environmental damiging raw materials. The Cleaner Planet Plan focuses at this moment at Unilever´s household division. In the future they plan to extend it to the division of personal healthcare products.

Hopes high for new recycling initiative

A new recycling initiative was launched today at the Indooroopilly Shopping Centre in Queensland, Australia, marking the beginning of a national rollout that is expected to result in hundreds of tonnes of beverage packaging being diverted away from landfill.

The combined industry and government initiative, which will see improved recycling infrastructure and signage in food courts and more efficient back-of-house management systems, has been led by the Packaging Stewardship Forum (PSF) of the Australian Food and Grocery Council and supported by the Queensland Government, the National Packaging Covenant and Lend Lease managed shopping centres.

Click here to read further.

Source: Australian Food News

Unilever leads food and beverage sector on Dow Jones Sustainability Index

Dutch consumer products group Unilever has been named sustainability leader in the Food & Beverage sector of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) for the eleventh consecutive year.

The results of the 2009 annual assessment conducted by SAM (the Swiss investment group) together with Dow Jones Indexes and STOXX Ltd were announced late last week.

The annual review of the DJSI is based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, branding, climate change mitigation, supply chain standards and labour practices.

Unilever achieved an overall score of 81% for their social, economic and environmental contribution, measured across 22 performance criteria.

Source: Australian Food News

Best practises in green retailing: Tesco supermarkets investing in recycling centres

www.tesco.co.uk

www.jdv-trc.blogspot.com

Best practises in green retailing: Sainsbury´s

www.jdv-trc.blogspot.com
www.sainsburys.co.uk

Best practises in green retailing: Marks and Spencer Plan A

www.jdv-trc.blogspot.com

www.marksandspencer.com

How green can your supermarket be? Best practises in green retail

www.tesco.co.uk
www.greenretailingsnews.co.uk
www.greensupermarket.blogspot.com

Unox (Unilever) launches biological soup range

Unox, the soup and saucage division of Unilever in The Netherlands, will launch Biological soup in a bag. There will be four differnt Bio-variations, added to the current soup assortment of Unox.

The company earlier launched the Eerlijk is Heerlijk-campaign (honoust is delicious), where Unox is seeking to work with as much natural ingredients as possible. The vegetables which are used for the soups are all cultivated biologically. To guarantee the biological claim, the company works with the strict SKAL-certificates, an independent organization looking and awarding biological production methods and ingredients.

Each biological soup product will be foreseen of the EKO-quality brand.

Picture: Brabants Dagblad.

Jos de Vries The Retail Company news overview

RusPrixAward

Jos de Vries The Retail Company has been rewarded for the results they have obtained in the Russian Market, by winning the RusPrix Award. The RusPrix Award is a prestigious award to stimulate the trade- and socialcultural relationship between The Netherlands and Russia. Jos de Vries The Retail Company, for over 8 years present at the Russian market, is elected as best performing Dutch Small Business company at the Russian market.

De Groene Weg: greenest shop of The Netherlands

The biological chain of butchers De Groene Weg (The Green Road) have been elected as the Greenest Store of 2009 by the Magazine “Green.2”. The winners are companies that do something back for the environment and that are making efforts to reduce the effects on the environment. They look at People, Profit and Planet. The chain makes great effort, internally and externally with their Social Responsability Policy and there Sustainable way of doing business. Jos de Vries The Retail Company has been responsable for the development of the new store concept of The Groene Weg.

Opening smallest candy store of Jamin in The Netherlands

The smallest candy store of The Netherlands "opened" its doors. This store is based in the famous miniature city of Madudoram (The Hague). The well-known chain Jamin, Dutch biggest candy store chain with over 125 years of ago, is developing rapidly. Next to this mini-store, developed by Dutch retail specialist Jos de Vries The Retail Company, the chain is increasing throughout The Netherlands. At this moment the chain has 142 stores and within 5 to 7 years they want to expand to 150 stores.

Retail Bouw Management, part of Jos de Vries The Retail Company Group, is responsable for the construction of these new stores.

Aquié (Grupo Cuevas) finalist World Retail Awards

The Spanish formula Aquié became finalist in last World Retail Awards, in the category “innovative retail concepts”.

The Spanish formula Aquié has been developed by Jos de Vries The Retail Company and is based on a new, modern design, the use of new technologies and a well-balanced assortment of healthy groceries. Everything seen based on Green Retailing. This central point in the company of Jos de Vries The Retail Company has been adapted in this concept by only supplying bio-recycable bags and furniture and lightning (in combination with Microlight and Smeva) selected on the environmental advantages because of the low consumption of energy.

Next to these innovative aspects of Green Retailing the clients can choose from a selected assortment of daily varying fresh and healthy menus (to prepare or prepacked). These products are tested and prepared by the university of Vigo to create an ecological and healthy product assortment.

This fifth generation supermarket is next to the success of being nominated for the World Retail Awards very succesfull with this new innovative concept. They are that succesfull that they opened their 2nd store already (in A Porriño, Galicia). The first supermarket can welcome over 1.250 visitors on a daily base and the turn-over is over 29% higher than the other stores of the Grupo Cuevas.

www.josdevries.eu

McDonald’s is testing Green Restaurant Concepts

In the United States of America, US origen fast-food chain McDonalds is testing green technologies, like energy-saving and waste-reduction in 10 restaurants.

One green restaurant in Chicago consumes 25 percent less energy than similar locations. Another location in Cary, N.C., incorporates LED lighting and low-flow toilets, uses eco-friendly materials such as counters made of recycled glass and concrete, and provides electric car charging stations. The location hopes to achieve LEED gold certification from the US Government.

Earlier this year McDonald’s began an effort to show consumers its “greener” side with a new institutional marketing effort, “Global Best of Green.” Energy savings and waste reduction are central to McDonald’s corporate social responsibility strategy.

Tesco new way of driving reduces fuel consumption

Following the aim of Tesco to reduce carbon footprint across all different areas in the company, made the company decide to test a new telematics system (Daimlet Fleetboard). This test resulted in 6 months to reduce the fuel consumption with 7,2%, much higher than the expected 4%. The UK Retailer now is applying this new system to the entire distribution car park and expects to save up to 5 million pounds a year on fuel and to cut the CO2 emission with 10.000 tonnes.

Walgreens US chain of drug stores opens first green store

The website Chain Store Age published today the news article that Walgreens, an American drug store with 74 stores, opened their first store that is designed to meet the LEED Standards. The LEED system stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is is set by the U.S. Government to measure the sustainability of a building or store.

The new green store, located in Chicago, is foreseen of a green roof where plants grow on. White coating takes care to reduce the heating and cooling consumption. The consumers are informed with in-store communication of how sustainable the store and which measurements this retail formula takes to be green.

Inside the store Walgreens decided to place energy-efficient LED lighting, reducing energy by 50% compared to normal lighting. Close to the store there is reserved parking for energyfriendly hybrid vehicles. More locations of the drug store chain will become green in the near future, including the placement of solar energy on top of the 74 stores throughout the United States.
www.chainstoreage.com

www.walgreens.com

Developing ecological shoes and ecotiendas

The University of Santiago de Compostela (Galicia, Spain) started a proyect in which they investigate the possible adaptation of environmental-friendly measurements into the retail and (shoe) manufacturing sector.

Sustainable proyects and products will be developed, with the aim of applying these techniques in companies like Inditex (collaborative partner of this project). The team is looking for efficient use of sources, reducing emissions and reducing the impact of the textile sector on the environment.

The University of Santiago de Compostela works with several companies from the textile sector to develop ecological shoes, investigating the effect of quimical gas on the health of the people. Furthermore they are developing the ecological store concept for the stores of Inditex, where they investigate the effect of metal and wood materials in the stores. They select the most appropiate materials to decrease the effect on the environment.

www.inditex.com

www.usc.es

Sharing knowledge to create supply chain sustainability

In Australia there was an important business reunion between retailers and manufacturers to share their knowledge on improving the sustainability in the retail chain. The roundtable was organized by NSW Government and Marks & Spencer, one of the leading companies in corporate social responsability was present to give an insight in their greentailing policy.

The event brings together key representatives of Austrain retail, food and beverage, fashion and consumer goods industries, hearing from Marks & Spencer their corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainable retailing.”

Mr Macdonald from Marks & Spencer noted that the crisis should not influence the social responsability.“CSR is about including public interest in corporate decision-making through the honouring of a triple bottom line of People, Planet and Profit,” he noted. “Consumers are increasingly aware of the implications of purchasing decisions in terms of environmental and ethical concerns, and corporations are under pressure to examine their entire supply chains from a CSR perspective.”

Marks & Spencer is a leading force for retail CSR in the United Kingdom through its ‘Plan A’ initiative which sets ambitious goals to be carbon neutral, cut landfill waste, source sustainable materials for products, promote healthy lifestyles for customers, and set new standards in ethical trading.

“By sharing its knowledge, Marks & Spencer will help accelerate the already growing phenomenon of CSR in Australian retailing,” Mr Macdonald explained. “There are many potential benefits for NSW companies involved in genuine CSR efforts including increased brand power, consumer appeal, and increased employee engagement through greater loyalty, improved recruitment, increased retention and higher productivity.”

Source: www.insideretailing.com.au

Sustainable fashion store in Barcelona, example of greentailing in Spain

The green store that opened Barcelona fashion store Santa Eulalia remains open one year more. The sustainable store has been developed by using only sustainable materials, everything to minimize the effect on the environment.

The Luxery fashion store is located in Barcelona´s famous shopping street Paseo De Gracia. The temporary green store currently works as replacement of the original store which is being renovated, this orginal store is also located at the same shopping street Paseo de Gracia.
www.tiendaverde.blogspot.com
www.santaeulalia.com
www.jdv-trc.blogspot.com

100% ECO Hygienic Paper available at the supermarkets of Albert Heijn and Coop (The Netherlands)

Since today the Dutch consumers are able to purchase 100% ECO Hygienic Paper. The first supermarkets in The Netherlands who offer this environmental-friendly product are Albert Heijn and Coop. The assortment these stores offer are toilet paper, kitchen rolls and tissues of the brand NORTH RIVER. The products are the most environmental friendly products of the market. By using the product the Dutch consumers help to improve the environment.

The production of these paper product is realized by recycled wood, there is no chlorine included, 80% less water is used and the production process is realized by 100% sustainable energy.
For more information on these products take a look at the website of Friends Hygiene or contact them by e-mail jan@friendshygiene.nl

De Groene Weg: the greenest store of the Netherlands 2009

Themagazine ‘Green.2’ published in its most recent magazine a list of the 200 greenest companies of The Netherlands: The Green 200. The butchers of The Groene Weg, specialists of biological meat / food products are the winner in the Categry Foodies.

Jos de Vries The Retail Company, responsable for the succesfull renovation of the store concept, congratulates De Groene Weg with the award on their green retailing policy.

http://www.josdevries.eu/engels/04_a_food/speciality/html/spec_groene_02.html

An introduction to greentailing and the five other biggest trends in the retail business

Read for you: Literature in greentailing, success factors for green retailers.

Larger Image

Greentailing and Other Revolutions in Retail: Hot Ideas That Are Grabbing Customers' Attention and Raising Profits

Neil Z. Stern, Willard N. Ander

ISBN: 978-0-470-28858-0

Hardcover

272 pages

October 2008

£19.99 / €25.00 Add to Cart

An introduction to greentailing and the five other biggest trends in the retail business

In their newest book on retailing, authors Stern and Ander examine the revolutions occurring in the retail marketplace, with particular emphasis on the influential green trend in retailing, or Greentailing. Greentailing is capitalizing on the huge and growing demand for organic, sustainable and wellness-related products. As it evolves, greentailing will force both suppliers and retailers alike in every category to take notice. Leading edge greentailers like Whole Foods and Wal*Mart continue to grow and innovate at rates much faster than traditional competitors, and are forcing competitive responses. The authors explain how any retail store or manufacturer can implement these ideas and raise profits, using case studies from successful greentailers.

In addition to greentailing, the book examines five other top retail trends:

• Demographic Shifts Provide Retail Opportunities
• Moving Up the Ladder—Growth of Experiential Retailing—How to Drive Sales and Profits Beyond Price
• Getting Outside the Box—New Ways to Reach the Consumer—The Growth of Non-Store Retailing
• Selling Services, Not Just products
• Brands Going Retail—The Battle for Control of the Customer

Very much a follow up to their first book, Winning at Retail: Developing a Sustained Model for Retail Success, Greentailing and Other Revolutions in Retail addresses all the latest trends in the retail industry and presents unbeatable advice on quickly responding to changes in customer demographics and competition. Retail is all about the customer, and as customers and their tastes change, this one-of-a-kind resource shows retailers and manufacturers how to keep up and innovate.

Jos de Vries The Retail Company launches at LinkedIn the Group Innovative Retail Concepts

Jos de Vries The Retail Company started the group "Innovative Retail Concepts" at www.linkedin.com for retail professionals to share knowledge and follow the latest trends on innovative (green) retail concepts.

We invite you to join this group and follow the news and to have discussions with other retail professionals.

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2120501

Regards,

Maurice van der Kooij

Consumers pay more attention to the environment at the moment they shop

A research of the European Union, published yesterday, shows that 4 out of 5 European consumers look at the effects on the environment of the products they purchase.

The attention for the environment is the highest in Greece, over 90 per cent of the inhabitants of this country mention that the effects on the environments play an important role at their purchases. The lowest score has Czech Republic, where 62 per cent of the population pays attation to the environmental impact.

More than 50 per cent of the EU consumers trust the information that manufacturers give about the performances and effect of the their products. The highest score get the consumers of The Netherlands (78 per cent), the lowest trust can be seen in Bulgaria (26 per cent).

The research states that 46 per cent of the European consumers supports the increase of taxes on products that are harmfull for the environment and decrease the taxes on green products.

The consumers have the wish that retailers better present and promote the green products and that information on the carbon footprint is given, to see the effect of the purchase of a certain product on the environment.

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Australian shopping malls start Eco-friendly campaign

The Australian GPT Group, responsable for several Shopping centres, launched the Ways-to-Save campaign. In their shopping malls they will arange in-centre eco-expos, eco-giveaways, educational workshops aiming to educate and inpire consumers and providing practical solutions to reduce their impact on the environment.

The green campaign includes a Bag Free Day where shoppers and retailers are encouraged to change their plastic bags for reusable bags. The campaign will also include a series of tree plantings within the communities of GPT shopping centres with tree giveaways for customers.

An interactive website, http://waystosave.net.au, featuring tips on how to save around the home, office and at school will support the campaign.

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Australian awards food industry sustainability achievements

Melbourne cake makers Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses have claimed the most prestigious environmental award in Australia, while iconic Australian spread Vegemite, manufactured by Kraft Foods Australia/New Zealand, took out the inaugural agriculture and food prize.

As Australia’s leading environmental awards, the Banksia Awards recognise outstanding environmental achievements by businesses, government and individuals.

Kraft won the prestigious award for its “Giving Vegemite a Sustainable Future” entry, which highlighted a range of innovative re-developments of the Vegemite manufacturing process at its Port Melbourne facility, which included the following projections for the end-of-2009:

- Reduced waste water by more than 65 per cent

- Reduced energy consumption by more than 52 per cent

- Environmental savings of over $1 million.

Ferguson Plarre received the top award for reducing the carbon footprint of their stores by over 5000 tonnes of CO2 annually as a result of: harnessing the waste heat from their refrigeration systems, redistributing heat recovered from freshly baked products, employing hybrid vehicle technologies and offsetting the remaining emissions via tree planting.
To see the full list of award winners and finalists please click here.

GfK researches the green consumers with their Sustainable Consumer Monitor for Supermarkets

In cooperation with the non-profit organization Solidaridad GfK published the Sustainable Consumer Monitor. The Sustainable Consumer Monitor needs to become a guide for retailers how to apply sustainanable retailing.

The report shows that there are 3 different groups of sustainable consumers: open-minded, organics and demanding. The report states that in The Netherlands there are over 3,9 million households that belong to one of these groups (over 50% of the total number of households in The Netherlands).

The consumers that belong to the group openminded are interested in the animal welfare. Organic consumers think about the environment and the demanding consumers look at social equaility and honest retailing. This research is very interesting for the food retailers. When for example a supermarket attracts a lot of open-minded clients, the supermarket can offer a wide assortment of meat replacement products. A supermarket that has a lot of demanding visitors can offer more fairtrade-products.

The reason why these consumers purchase more and more green and fairtrade products is that they think they support the environment and the animal welfare.

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Small Dutch retailers focus more on green retailing

Many small business companies in The Netherlands move toward to the trend of sustainable retailing, this is the result of a research of EIM. (Dutch Market Retail Institute). Small business retailers are looking for environmental products and service, they want to strengthen their market position and want to fill in the consumer demands in green retailing.

The actual crisis does not effect to much the focus on green retailing, the clients are looking for these sustainable products. The research shows that the client gets more and more demanding on their wished of green products. That is why the small retailers continuous look for these alternative products.

On the other side the retailers are looking to reduce costs, in the practise they rather do not spend extra money on sustainable products, this factor slows a bit the development in green retailing. Saving energy and reducing energy costs is high on the list of the of priorities in green retailing, a good lighthing plan of LED lights can reduce the total energy costs.

Hiper Paiz (Wal-Mart) opens sustainable supermarket in Guatemala

After the news of Wal-Mart of introducing the eco-labels into their supermarket last week, this week they have news about the opening of a new green hypermarket in Central America. This new sustainable supermarket is located in Guatemala and is known under the name Hiper Paiz Hypermarket.

Planet Retail explains the special sustainable features this new 6,400 square metres big stores has. Wal-Mart has choosen to apply 25 different sustainability initiatives into this story focusing to save energy and water and reduce the level of waste. This new supermarket is foreseen of a LED lighting plan to lower the energy consumption and vary the consumption during the day. Humidity controls improve the condition of the fresh products. They introduced hydro-saving devices to reduce the level of water production and the supermarket is foreseen of a system of cardboard and plastic recycling points.

The supermarket flower display: selling the green product in retail

On behalf of Bloemenbureau Holland (Flower Board Holland), Jos de Vries has collaborated in giving flowers and plants in European supermarkets a more professional and suitable presentation for the product.

Bloemenbureau Holland is a non-profit organisation designed, through specialisation and cooperation, to improve the sales potential of flowers and plants far beyond our borders, thereby boosting trade.

The project, the optimal display, brings together all the knowledge from the sector to inform, inspire and reach solutions for a number of practical challenges on the shop floor. The problem definition focuses on the following questions:

• What kind of role can the display fulfil for product classification (differences in length, guidelines for colour, maintenance, consumer purchasing criteria)?
• What can be done to tempt the shopping consumer and highlight the incentive?
• What kind of simple solutions can we offer for the practical aspects inherent in the flower and plant category: water, shelf life, knowledge on the shop floor?
• How can we create more experience with/on the shelf? Cross merchandising, branding, other means of communication, lighting must be integrated.

To illustrate the results of the project and to encourage retailers to consider flowers as a full-fledged category or for an impulse purchase, Jos de Vries has designed a flower display to be presented at the Horti Fair 2008.

The display satisfies three basic conditions:
- Increase the impulse value through clearly-defined communication and a modular display.

- Differentiate within flowers and plants and make this known. A private label, premium and biological classification is legitimate.
- Improve the perception of flowers and plants. Flowers and plants are fresh products.

If, as a retailer, you’d like to boost your flower and plant sales, we invite you to develop with us.

Contact: m.vanderkooij@josdevries.eu for further information.

New generation green supermarket Tengelmann Klimarkt

Tengelmann opened half a year ago their first Tengelmann Klimamarkt. This follows the objective that the supermarket chain Tengelmann gave itself. Before 2020 they want to reduce to the level of CO2-emissions with at least 20 per cent. Environmental and natural solutions to save the environment.

Their newest Klimamarkt can be seen as an example of an environmental-friendly store. This green supermarket uses 50% less energy than the traditional supermarket and they also succeeded to reduce the emission of CO2 to almost the level of 0.

What did they do and how did they do it? This green supermarket of the newest generation, warmth is being used to transform it into energy, the cooling and refrigeration departments have environmental-friendly furniture with all the doors closed. Furthermore there was a lighting plan created, were LED-lighting could promote the products, make them more sustainable and reduce the level of energy.

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Belgian Supermarket Chain Colruyt obtaining energy in their supermarkets by introducing Sun Panels

The Belgian supermarket chain Colruyt is looking for ways to obtain a sustainable way of obtaining energy, this energy needs to support reducing the emission of CO2-gases. The price stunter will install as many sun panels as possible on the roofs of their supermarkets, where possible this will be the new way how the supermarkets obtain their energy.

Currently Colruyt already obtains 7 million kWh of electricity by wind mills, sun panels and warmth recuperation. The Belgian is with these action leading the Benelux revolution in green retailing. In neighbour country The Netherlands we do not yet see this many way to use sustainable energy in the supermarkets.

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Mars further develops plan with new action to Sustainable Business

Mars comes up with a new action to sustainable business. The Green Order System has the objective to change the order behaviour to reduce the emission of CO2. The impact on the environment will be measured and communicated to the clients.

Mars now communicated that after 2020 they want to produce 100.000 tons cacao with the UTZ-Sustainability certificate. The UTZ-Sustainibility organization focuses in higher productivity on the same area, with the aim to reduce the loss of wood and to improve the income of the cacao farmers. Untill 2020 this will be adapted in different phases.

This manufactured chocolate will be used in the Mars products like Bounty, Twix and Mars. Next to the UTZ certification Mars also works with Rainforest Alliance. The method of UTZ is a structural approach to improve the productivity and reduce the level of poorness in the areas. Farmers learn how to improve their productivity, with improved methods. Furthermore they explain that farmers need to produce a wider assortment of products, to avoid depending to much on one product. Mars thinks this new production methods will increase the benefits between 30 and 50 per cent, mainly focusing on Ivory Coast (worlds biggest manufacturer of cocao for Mars).

UTZ Certified Good Inside is dedicated to creating an open and transparent marketplace for agricultural products. It offers coffee, tea and cocoa certification programs and manages traceability for RSPO certified palm oil, UTZ CERTIFIED vision is to achieve sustainable agricultural supply chains where farmers are professionals implementing good practices which lead to better businesses, where the food industry takes responsability by demanding and rewarding sustainably grown products, and where consumers buy products which meet their standard for social and environmental responsability.

American retail study shows that low Income Shoppers are More Willing to Pay a Premium for Sustainability

The company Miller Zell an Atlanta based retail specialist company researches several different of topics inside the world of retail. Today this retail company published their study on green retailing, which type of consumer purchases green products.

The traditional thougth is that consumers who are most interested in environmental-friendly products have a higher income and overall lifestyle commitment to eco-friendly living. In the research done by this retail design and strategy firm Miller Zell the result is that shoppers with a lower income are the ones purchasing green products.

In the study it states that Income is not the only important factor when consumers decide to do green shopping, consumers with lower income are willing to pay a premium for green products. Women are also willing to pay more than men for green products.

The interest of consumers in sustainable products did not result yet in good promotion and information on the green products manufacturers and retailers have. Wal-Mart last week launched the plan to obtain information on the effects on the environment of their products and communicate the effect of the purchase of this product on the environment.

The study also shows the channels that are most effective to trigger the interest of the shopper in green products as well as differences between the different generations and genders.
To download a copy of the study results, visit the Miller Zell blog, Inside the Aisle at http://insidetheaisle.com/mz-research-surveys/.

Does the outcome of this research come as a surprise for you? Which actions do you take to save the environment? Which advices would you like to share with the other readers of this blog?

Communication of origen of fair-trade products

Yesterday in our article we mentioned the importancy of the communication to your customer that your store a green store is and how which measurements your company take to make it green(er). The same accounts for fair-trade products, where do they come from and how are they produced.

One good example of communication of origen of fair-trade products is the English company Chippindale Foods. This retailer offers full egg traceability via their website www.wheresyoursfrom.com. Every egg in the supermarket is foreseen of a tracking code. When the clients types in the code into their website, it gives full information on the origen of the egg. Furthermore there are menu suggestions and information on the production of "green" eggs.

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