Retailers get serious about sustainability

Major retailers such as Amazon, The Kroger Co., ALDI and Walmart are becoming known for their sustainability efforts, not just for what they sell.

According to Forbes, the retailers are thinking outside the box when it comes to eliminating waste, and are embarking on campaigns to eliminate tons of product packaging materials, from polystyrene to questionably harvested paper.

Among those with formal campaigns, according to the article, include Kroger’s efforts to  optimize the packaging of all its private label products by 2020, and ALDI’s commitment to  convert 100% of its packaging to reusable, recyclable or compostable materials by 2025.

According to the article, this sustainability movement will alter the shopping experience in a few ways:

1. Bulking up. Consumers may see more bulk foods they can carry out in their own reusable containers. This could apply to liquid products as well, as long as the shopper has a vessel.

2. More concentration. More household products will likely be concentrated, resulting in smaller packaging.

3. Going naked. Manufacturers may eschew packaging all together, where it makes sense. Customers of By Humankind, maker of soaps and other personal care items, purchase one container that is refilled through a subscription service.

To read the Forbes article, click here.