On the eve of the Food Marketing Institute’s Sustainability Summit, I feel compelled to point out the importance of adopting sustainable products and processes by grocery retailers. Certainly some have heeded the call and have made sustainability a hallmark of their operations. But too many grocers continue to hold on to the outdated belief that they are simply a middle man between product manufacturers and their customers.
Increasingly, the evidence points to the fact that consumer buying habits are a reflection of their values. The widely publicized Cone Survey shows that fully 90% of Americans consider themselves “conscious consumers”. Not only do they want to purchase products from manufacturers that reflect their values, they want to buy from retailers who reflect these same values. The entire value chain - from raw materials to packaging and production to the point of sale - is under scrutiny by the increasingly conscious consumer. As the Hartman Group so effectively tells us, it’s not just what they buy, it’s where they buy it.
If you don’t believe me, take a look at what Greenpeace is doing to Trader Joe’s. With its website and series of email campaigns entitled “Traitor Joe’s”, Greenpeace is exposing Trader Joes’ irresponsible seafood sourcing practices. How long can a grocery retailer - already hit with reduced consumer spending amid historically razor thin margins - afford to maintain unsustainable practices? The answer is obvious, and it’s equally obvious that grocers need to get ahead of the game by rapidly adopting more sustainable practices throughout their operations.
By the way, if fear is not motivation enough, the fact that sustainability-minded consumers spend significantly more than the average consumer at the grocery store should be enough to move smart grocers in the right direction.
