Marketing Sustainable Consumption within Stores: A Case Study of the UK’s Leading Food Retailers

Peter Jones,David Hillier,Daphne Comfort

doi:10.3390/su1040815

Peter Jones, David Hillier + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su1040815

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Abstract

Sustainable consumption is a core policy objective within the UK Government’s Sustainable Development Strategy and there is a growing awareness that retailers have a vital role to play in promoting more sustainable patterns of consumption. This paper explores how the UK’s top ten food retailers are communicating sustainable consumption agendas to their customers within stores in the towns of Cheltenham and Gloucester. The findings reveal that while these retailers are providing customers with some information on sustainable consumption the dominant thrust of marketing communication within stores is designed to encourage consumption. The paper concludes with some reflections on how sustainable consumption fits into the large food retailers’ business models.

Highlights

Sustainable consumption is a core policy objective within the UK Government’s SustainableDevelopment Strategy yet Cohen [1] has argued that ‘sustainable consumption is the most obdurate challenge for the sustainable development agenda’
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), 2008 [2] report further argues that marketing ‘can help consumers to find, choose and use sustainable products and services, by providing information, ensuring availability and affordability, and setting the appropriate tone through marketing communications’
This paper explores how the top ten food retailers within the UK are communicating sustainable consumption agendas to their customers within stores and offers some reflections on how sustainable consumption fits into the large food retailers’ business models

Summary

Introduction

Sustainable consumption is a core policy objective within the UK Government’s Sustainable. To sustainable development to government, shareholders, customers and the general public Such commitments are publicly captured and promoted, for example, in the annual Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility reports the large food retailers post on the Internet. Within these reports the major food retailers catalogue a wide range of initiatives and achievements typically embracing climate change, waste management and recycling, packaging, sustainable sourcing, animal welfare, supplier relationships, supporting local communities and economies, charitable donations, ethical trade and Fairtrade products, healthy eating and healthy lifestyles, diversity and inclusion in the workplace and flexible working arrangements.

Sustainable Consumption

Sustainable Consumption Messages within Food Stores

Reflections

Findings

Conclusions