Ceepackaging

Analysis

Survey looks at the retailer on sustainability

Knowing what retail wants…

The two surveyed groups agreed on just one point: sustainability in shopfitting is important in the shopfitters’ opinion, and the manufacturers too are aware of its importance. Although a well-founded knowledge of retail’s interests should be virtually essential to the industry, very significant differences were revealed in the further details. Ninety-five percent of the surveyed retailers have concrete demands on the sustainable procurement practices of their suppliers of fixtures and fittings, but 57 percent of the surveyed shopfitters do not find themselves confronted with particular expectations of retail regarding sustainable procurement of fixtures and fittings. For instance, more than 70 percent of the retailers expect the observance of generally accepted environmental and social standards, yet this retailer preference was correctly assessed only by a good 40 percent of the suppliers.

Significant differences also showed in the question of the relevance of certifications and seals. Surprisingly, around a quarter of the surveyed retailers already inquire about lifecycle assessments and CO2 balances for products used in store fixtures and fittings. On the other hand, the shopfitting industry for the most part assumes that retail attaches hardly any importance to such seals.

Remarkably, however, the surveyed shopfitting and planning companies for their part have quite high expectations of their suppliers where the sustainability of raw materials and intermediate products is concerned, i.e., they demand exactly things such as the observance of generally accepted environmental and social standards, or inquire about existing certification systems.