Sustainable retail in a post coronavirus world

Sustainability was the retail sector’s buzzword of 2019 and this hot streak has continued into 2020.

Movements such as Extinction Rebellion, School Strikes for Climate, veganism, the plastic backlash and biodiversity conservation have been hugely influential here. And many believe that the coronavirus outbreak will take things to the next level.

“There will be no let-up in terms of carbon footprints, recycling and so on. People may have other things on their minds right now, but sustainability will only become bigger and bigger in the months and years ahead,” says ex-Waitrose MD, Mark Price.

Expect to see clothing brands doubling down on responsible sourcing once the Covid-19 dust settles. And increasing numbers of people overhauling their behaviour and going out of their way to shop more sustainably and ethically. 

Price, for instance, believes that localism will be hugely important, as consumers kick back against globalism. “We have come to value local businesses during this time, so I think there is something really powerful about local, local producers and being local to your community. Not feeling like you are a mass brand, but feeling like you are tied to a community and can serve local need,” he says. 

“I am very optimistic about the future of the high street. I think it will be reengineered around local businesses that have got a global offer through an internet offering,” he adds. 

Time to get serious

“I’ve no doubt that the pandemic will have sharpened everyone’s focus upon the environment and therefore on sustainability. Consumers will come out of lockdown and the entire experience with heightened awareness of the importance of sustainability to the planet and to global warming,” says Martin Newman, an omnichannel retail consultant and founder of The Customer First Group.

“This will have an impact upon their behaviour and as a result, retailers will need to show increased pace and action around sustainability if they are to build trust and loyalty with customers. Being in lockdown for so long will make consumers realise that they don’t actually need a lot of stuff they buy or at least they don’t need it as frequently.”

“There will be no let-up in terms of carbon footprints, recycling and so on. People may have other things on their minds right now, but sustainability will only become bigger and bigger in the months and years ahead”

Retailers must prove that they’re taking sustainability seriously, that they’re acting rather than talking about it, he adds. “Too many brands kick the can down the road with statements about being sustainable by 2025, 2030 or some other distant time in the future. Consumers see through this and as the old saying goes, actions speak louder than words.”

Companies will, therefore, need to more honest and open about their sustainability efforts and achievements. There will be no place to hide, argues Newman.

They can add carbon footprint information to product labelling, Point of Sale and swing tags. They can also be more proactive in their own attempts to carbon offset. Planting trees is just one way of doing this. But this needs to be alongside a strategy and action plan to reduce their carbon footprint in the first place.

Brands can also enable consumers to recycle products in their stores and in turn move towards a more circular model whereby their range of products also constitutes recycled products.

Being bold

Ultimately, those who make bold commitments to their staff, customers, the wider community and the environment during the coronavirus pandemic will be remembered, while the companies that have proven themselves to be less ethical risk falling out of favour with shoppers when normality returns. 

“Consumers will become more aware of the ethical commitments that retailers have been making and will have started to become more accustomed to this greater transparency, which many consumers will want to be expanded to retailers’ sustainability efforts,” says Emily Salter, Analyst at GlobalData Retail. 

“Retailers need to take inspiration from those that are setting the standards for transparency, from smaller brands including Reformation which publishes a quarterly sustainability report and Veja which details its production processes, to big international retailers such as H&M,” she concludes.

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