Tesco boss: Green retail must be achieved
Supermarkets can play a vital role in ensuring that emissions are cut and businesses improve their green credentials, Tesco’s chief executive Sir Terry Leahy has said.
Leahy argued that if the organisation wants to witness long-term growth then it must adopt a green strategy and disagrees with those who think this sort of thinking and business operation cannot be combined.
He said that if consumers can purchase lower-carbon items, then they will reward the retailers that offer them.
Arniston Bay is one of the brands assisting the retailers in their efforts to sell greener products.
Claiming an 80% lower carbon footprint and 90% less waste and landfill than regular glass wine bottles, Arniston Bay wine pouches are aimed at the eco-conscious wine drinker
Developed as an extension from South Africa’s fourth biggest-selling brand, the Arniston Bay Reserve range of six wines made by wine maker Nicky Versfeld features a Barrel-Fermented Chenin Blanc, Barrel-Fermented Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Pinotage and Cabernet Sauvignon.
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I agree this is an exciting and dynamic area. Tesco has been a leader for some time.
It reminds me of the internet in 1995. Recall how many simply viewed a website as funny yellow pages ad, others ignored it as a fad, and many crazy ideas arrive fast and disappeared as quickly. But a decade later the web had transformed how we do and view business.
I have followed the sustainability movement since 1990 and in the past few years I see the shift really taking hold of the mainstream – it is now generating cold dispassionate investment and is no longer just propped up by the long-necessary base of feel-good support.
Small retail is a fertile ground for innovation – once you get past the numerous stores that simply make work for owners. However, an innovative green retailer is not sustainable if it is not fiscally viable. Many, including those heralded as great examples such as Nau was a year ago, will sink. The legacy will be the creative and darwinian evolutions that emerge to inspire shoppers and to be adopted my the major players in the sector.
Today, the mainstream shopper says they want green, but their behaviour shows that they want great price, outstanding quality, superb service and convenient access first. The retail owner must understand his or her market with their head and not just act on their heart.
That said, there are certainly reasons for retail to get moving on this. They have lagged other sectors for sometime and the public is expecting more that reusable bags from their stores. Furthermore, as the bar rises, those lagging will be quickly left behind, as retail leaders find ways to layer green as another aspect of profitable business excellence. And while the consumer is struggling to define overall value, good employees are aligning with the workplace that supports their values (when they have the choice).
The challenge? Show me a profitable green dollar store and I will confirm the retail landscape forever changed. I am convinced with creative brilliance and adequate financing, this will happen (well, maybe a green two-dollar store). Far-fetched? Check out http://www.terracycle.net.
Cheers,
David Ian Gray
DIG360 Consulting Ltd.
http://www.dig360.ca