The retail industry has a significant impact on the environment, as retailers use a great deal of energy to source and transport products to their brick-and-mortar stores and warehouses. As a result, some retailers are embracing two of the biggest trends in retail: selling green products and implementing green initiatives to satisfy their customers. As a retail professional, you must understand the importance of these initiatives and take steps to identify green products that will appeal to your customer base.
Samantha Taylor, author of the article "Environmentally Friendly Retail," says that more stores are doing their part to curb waste and convince customers of the importance of going green. She cites charging customers who want plastic bags as just one example of the increased focus on environmental responsibility in the retail industry. Some retailers also provide drop-off locations where customers can turn in their used plastic bags, keeping the bags out of the landfills and reducing waste.
Eileen Fisher, an apparel brand, is taking the trend a step further by operating clothing recycling programs in six New York locations. Customers who want to participate in the program bring in gently used garments bearing the Eileen Fisher label. Every customer receives a five-dollar recycling rewards credit and a receipt for tax purposes. The company donates the recycled clothing to women around the world. Justine Griffin of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports that the retailer has recycled more than fifty thousand clothing items since implementing the program.
Retailers are also meeting the increased consumer demand for environmentally friendly products. Some of the most popular green products are those used for cleaning, like Green Works, Seventh Generation, and Simple Green. Officials from the Environmental Protection Agency report that green products benefit the environment because they typically have low toxicity, less packaging, and low volatile compound content. These products are often biodegradable, which means they will not harm the environment like many traditional cleaning products. To meet the demand for green products, retailers are now introducing everything from recycled coffee cups to clothing made from organic cotton.
The use of green power is another way retailers are attempting to reduce their impact on the environment. Several major corporations are now using green energy to reduce the impact of their electricity use. Walmart, Kohl's Department Stores, Staples, McDonald's, Whole Foods USA, and Safeway are just a few of the companies listed on the Environmental Protection Agency's list of the top twenty retailers in the Green Power Partnership. Participants can meet the requirements for this program by using green power products or obtaining renewable energy certificates.
Business owners have a big opportunity to make money and attract new customers by participating in these trends in retail. Although green products often cost more to produce, companies can charge a premium for them and benefit from the good publicity generated by offering green products to consumers. In the future, retailers will have to meet the demand for green products or risk losing customers.
(Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net)
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