in November 2009
UK supermarkets have just been given a kick up the......
http://consumerfocus.org.uk/media/viewfile.aspx?filepath=1_20091109085851_e_@@_Consumerfocusgreentothecore.pdf&filetype=4
Perhaps a carbon neutral section is what they need!
in October 2009
From a New Zealand perspective (given that the vast majority of carboNZero products are wine, with a little bit of food) where else could a carbon neutral section be of national interest -
- Koru Lounge (thx Mike)
- Air New Zealand
- Interislander
- Duty Free
- Government Bars
- NZ Consulates and Embassy's
in October 2009
Beginning to enter the mainstream, roll on the supermarket section - http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/news/941600/Brands-footprints-carbon-labelling-schemes-begin-enter-mainstream/
in October 2009
The growth of carbon labelling schemes for consumer products are gaining considerable traction. Tesco recently put a carbon label on all its milk (apart from organic if memory serves correct), the US government has written in $400m over 25 years to its Climate Bill for creation of a voluntary carbon labelling programme and Australia's first carbon labels are set to be launched late next year.
From a market perspective this bodes extremely well as the concept has reasonably wide support from the retail sector and a growing level of consumer awareness (think of that milk and the breakfast tables the UK).
So maybe the title of the supermarket section should be changed to the "Carbon Reduction" section, or similar. That way these products can also be included alongside the niche of those that are carbon neutral.
Unfortunately NZ supermarkets are probably 3-5 years behind those in other parts of the world, so its unlikely that we will get to own the concept of a climate section anytime soon. I do liked to be proven wrong on occasion though!
Roger
in September 2009
Recently one of Aura's directors, Dave Pearce, was in the USA on business for his day job at Grove Mill. Obviously this required Dave to talk to lots and lots of people around sustainability. He arrived home yesterday and he met myself for a beer after a hard day brainstorming with Meridan Energy.
Dave said he realised whilst away why there was no incentive for supermarkets to put in carbon neutral sections - they are not afraid that their customer is buying carbon neutral products at another venue.
It occured to him that this was the reason supermarkets started to put in organic sections. It would have been in response to a rise in the amount of small organic shops catering to that market. The same goes for buy local campaigns in supermarkets - faced with a loss of trade to farmers markets (due mainly to the supermarkets themselves buying elsewhere) - the supermarkets decided to try and replicated the tug of the heart strings that these markets evoke.
So the answer in getting Progressives or Foodstuffs to put in carbon neutral sections is for independent stores (physical or online) to start providing these sections. Until that happens there is no incentive.
Anyone know anyone who knows anyone that might be interested in putting a carbon neutral section in their store??? After all it would be a world's first, and we love world's firsts at Aura Sustainability!
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