The planet is evolving and so are the expectations of the people who inhabit it. The issue of sustainable development is becoming more and more important in the public debate; which is quite logical since the environmental emergency is so strong. In a previous article, we talked about the weight of our choices on the decisions made by institutions and companies. This time, we will see which companies are going green; and why it is more important than ever to adopt a responsible consumer behavior…
Companies are nothing without their consumers
It may seem obvious, but this dimension is too often forgotten. The priority of all companies is to satisfy their customers. Thus, choosing one product rather than another leads companies to rethink their medium and long term model. However, we must not forget the economic dimension; which remains the number one factor to take into account for many consumers. Paying a few euros or even cents more for an environmentally friendly product; has nevertheless more impact than one might think. Moreover, sales systems in line with a sustainable approach; such as bulk sales allow us to save money and therefore to do good to the planet and to our wallet. Not to mention our health which is strongly correlated to the quality of our food.
Inspiring examples from around the world
The story made the buzz recently: in New Zealand, a supermarket took the gamble of no longer packaging its fruits and vegetables and observed impressive results. The figures speak for themselves: a net increase in sales of up to 300% for some products! Witnessing the popularity of his Food In Nude initiative, Nigel Bond says:
“When we set up the new stalls, customers were blown away. It reminded me of going to the produce store with my dad as a kid and smelling the fresh citrus and spring onions. By wrapping produce in plastic, we were depriving people of that experience.”
According to a study conducted by NN Investment Partners, one in five listed companies in the world would have a positive impact, socially and or environmentally. Again, the correlation between customer gain and gain for the planet is visible. As a result, these companies have better growth rates and returns than companies that do not follow the same responsible approach. The icing on the cake is that the most ecologically virtuous companies also make savings!
What about France?
The beautiful story made the buzz recently: in New Zealand, a supermarket took the gamble of no longer packaging its fruits and vegetables and observed impressive results. The figure speaks for itself: a net increase in sales of up to 300% for some products! Witnessing the craze as to his initiative called Food In Nude, Nigel Bond recounts:
“When we set up the new stalls, the customers were blown away. It reminded me of when I was a kid and went to the produce store with my dad, I could smell the fresh citrus and spring onions. By wrapping produce in plastic, we were depriving people of that experience.
A study conducted by NN Investment Partners, one in five listed companies in the world would have a positive impact, socially and or environmentally. Again, the correlation between customer gain and gain for the planet is visible. As a result, these companies have better growth rates and returns than companies that do not follow the same responsible approach. The icing on the cake is that the most environmentally virtuous companies also save money!
In France, the major players in the trade are also beginning to mobilize for greener shelves.
The “National Pact on plastic packaging for 2025” presented by the Ministry of Ecological Transition has obtained the signature of many of them and from various fields such as Danone, L’Oreal, Coca-Cola, Auchan or Carrefour. Carrefour launched a few weeks ago its We Act For Food campaign, which recalls the We Act For Good application developed by WWF France and which encourages each of us to adopt eco-citizen behaviors. The French retail giant aims to gradually eliminate plastic packaging. From this year, polystyrene trays will disappear in favor of cardboard trays, a saving of 111 tons of plastic according to the French group. The same scenario for bananas and cucumbers, two flagship products, which together will avoid the production of nearly 30 tons of plastic per year.
Consumers, more than ever actors
Last October, the association Zero Waste France filed a complaint against the two fast food giants, McDonald and KFC. On what grounds? Quite simply, the failure to respect two legal bases drawn from the Environmental Code. Namely, the lack of sorting of waste in the room and bio-waste. Indeed, since July 1, 2016, the “5-flow decree” requires a sorting of paper, metal, plastic, glass and wood to companies.
Obviously, we must not deny the face, a criminal penalty looks complicated. However, the brand image is a non-negligible dimension for companies. To be pointed out for its irresponsible behavior, in other words to be at the heart of a “bad buzz”, remains the dread of the companies. With the advent of social networks, information travels faster and so do calls for boycotts. Despite the fact that large companies are very organized to face this type of crisis, denouncing irresponsible behaviors on a regular basis encourages the concerned actors to change their practices in order to keep their good image.
Riding the green wave to institutionalize sustainable development within companies
Numerous demonstrations have sprung up around the world such as the Fridays For Future led by the now world famous Greta Thunberg. A common feature of many of these public demonstrations is the youthfulness of those who constitute them. The new generations being the most concerned by the issues of the future. Young people who will be the consumers and voters of tomorrow. A crucial dimension for politicians as well as for companies who see in them the next generation to convince. We can then think of the banal recovery. However, the new expectations will push institutions and companies to adapt their offers to the new demands. We must therefore never neglect our power to act now to shape the world of tomorrow.
