Green retailing: the green revolution that changes the retail landscape

Jos de Vries The Retail Company and Retail Bouw Management are focusing on the the development “ The Green Shopping Experience “, green retailing and environmental thinking ánd acting in retail. We have to think of the paradox between of earning money on the one side and on the side to “educate” the consumer of consuming less, that the customer adapts will be adapted and that environmental friendly and social responsable products are being purchased.

Last week Alexis Mavrommatis, senior consultant at Jos de Vries The Retail Company Spain gave an inspring presentation on green retailing for the prestigious EADA Mba business school in Barcelona. This school will launch a new speciality of retail management, where one of the central themes will be “green retailing”.
In the presentation he mentioned that especially in these difficult crisis it is difficult to think and act environmental friendly. Important aspects for green retailing for retailers are adapting to the different senses of the consumers: the mental, emotional, intellectual, fysical and motivation aspect.

It is necessary to be different, authentic and to increase the multisector perception, break routines and communicate with the customers. The green revolution is not just a trend, but an increasingly important phenomen in the world of retail, it will change our lives, the way we consume and the way we buy.

In the United Kingdom and Germany we can see the retailers develop their own green plans, like for example Marks&Spencer with their Plan A. But also Tesco and Sainsbury focus on the green aspect in the retail landscape.

Below we give some of the example of green retailing in the United Kingdom.

Investment in logistics and recycling: Tesco invests 150.000 euro per store in recycling.

Sainsbury´s invests in logistics: the trucks use fuel which is generated from the recycled garbage of the stores.

Environmental friendly shopping bag of Tesco, which includes the recycling of 15 cans of Coca Cola.

Clients are being rewarded with the loyalty system when they do green purchases.

www.actgreeninretail.blogspot.com

Fair Trade Shop: development of a new store concept

Opening first WAAR store in Nijmegen

At the end of 2008 FaiRSupport, the retail organization behind Fair Trade Shops and Wereldwinkels, opened the first store of the new WAAR-concept. The Fair Trade Shops are located in the center of Amsterdam. The Hague, Haarlem and Utrecht. Fair Trade Original products can be found in the Fair Trade Shops and WAAR. During this year the Fair Trade Shops will be transformed to the by Jos de Vries The Retail Company newly developed store concept of the WAAR-stores.

What is WAAR?

WAAR builds further on the known fundamental elements of the Fair Trade Shop. Fairtrade is one the of the most important focus points of this new formula. The assortment has been increased, FaiRSupport added some special products and product groups. Clients can now find biological articles, products with FSC quality mark and articles of recycled material with a special design. The statement in the store explains where WAAR stands for “ WAAR believes that the world becomes a better place by giving. Worldwide you are able to find authentical gift-ideas with an inspiring story to share. About beauty, power, emotion and love. WAAR brings these pure products, which communicate, closer. For others or for yourself. Always special because of the origen and for returning something to the world. This is WAAR. WAAR is a world to give. “

Durable entrepeneurship

WAAR centralizes to do business in a durable way. The new store concept has been developed by Dutch retail specialist company Jos de Vries The Retail Company. This company has long-time experience in retail and has developed and designed several succesful shop formulas in Europe for the last 28 years. The focus by the development of this concept was on working in the thoughts of the FaiRSupport philosophy, durable and fair products. The interior and the construction has been performed with as many durable products possible, ecological paint and FSC wood. The shelves have been selected to be durable and by type of enviromental-friendly material. To save the environment and lower the energy costs, durable energy and cost-saving lighting has been placed in the store.The communication is as much as possible digital to save paper and printing. The product information in-store is been provided on tv-screens and future direct mail will be digital.

A special story

Behind the products of WAAR there is always a special story, who produces it, which techniques are used and are there any rituals or uses connected with this product preparation. The products tell these stories, to tell the store further. The more stories told the better the companies who need it will benefit from it, the companies in developing countries. This manner of “storytelling” plays more and more an important role in this store and outside this store. WAAR has been developed in cooperation with Bloei, Van Keulen Interieurbouw and VVO2 Retailcommunicatie.WAAR has developed a new website www.ditiswaar.nl where you can find more information on this concept. For other newly developed retail concepts you can take a look at www.josdevries.eu.

Carrefour removes all plastic bags from Spanish stores

Carrefour is taking the admirable green step of removing all plastic bags from its Spanish outlets in its bid to have a positive impact on the environment. Carrefour is the first supermarket chain to take this step.

The chain hopes to make its stores in Spain plastic bag-free by the end of this year. The aim is to replace them with "long-life" bags which can be re-used, and are thus better for the environment.
The cost of the bags has not been made public.