Five green retail initiatives you need to know about

These retailers and brands are at the forefront of the sustainability movement.

1. Amazon

Amazon’s electric Rivian vans will start making deliveries in 16 US cities this year.

These are already delivering to customers in Los Angeles.

Amazon plans to expand its testing to 15 more (unnamed) cities this year, as it eyes a fleet of 10,000 vehicles by 2022.

2. Hermes UK and Ford

Hermes UK has teamed up with Ford to pilot an eco-friendly courier service in central London.

This involves delivery vans bringing parcels into the capital where Ford software identifies suitable locations for the drivers to park.

Each van is met by a number of pedestrian couriers. These use a smartphone app that advises the location of the van and shows the most efficient routes and itinerary to deliver the parcels.

3. Yamamay

Yamamay, part of Pianoforte Group, has extended its use of Aptos PLM to support the Italian underwear brand’s sustainability initiatives.

It says it will benefit from improved traceability, control and transparency across the entire product lifecycle.

4. Tesco Ireland

Tesco Ireland has become the first Irish retailer to create a recycling solution for soft plastics. 

To date soft plastics have not been eligible for the national household recycling bin infrastructure in Ireland.

Using technology developed by startup Paltech, they will be flaked and prepared for processing into construction materials to be used in the Tesco Ireland network for new stores, and in store maintenance and refits including buildings, car park barriers and signage.

At in-store collection points, made from waste plastic, to be rolled out to all 151 locations by March, customers will be able to remove unwanted soft plastic packaging  at the end of their shopping trip.

They can also leave behind hard, recyclable plastic packaging.

5. Makro

Supermarket chain Makro is building Uzbekistan’s first charging network for electric vehicles.

This follows on from a pilot at one of its stores in the capital city of Tashkent.

The network will comprise of 30 charging stations located at stores in Tashkent and 10 other cities across the country.

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