In this monthly update we would like to inspire you by sharing some innovative concepts which are adapting to the retailtrends: Omni Integration, Extreme Convenience, Extreme Experience and Sustainable Practices. This month, the trend Sustainable Practices will have our attention with trends from Delhaize, Deli’Vrac & VEJA X DARWIN. Which breaking brands will inspire you?
About the trend
Consumers are more conscious now than ever and are becoming a larger and more vocal segment of the population. Implementing sustainable practices is all about demonstrating social responsibility and highlighting an ethical, honest, and responsible business. It means taking responsibility by offering consumption in good conscience, by producing environmentally through the entire value chain and by having responsible products and services. Consumers are increasingly looking to align with brands and retailers that share their values. Retailers connect on a deeper level with consumers to help them feel like they are contributing to a greater purpose when shopping the brand of the retailer.
#1 Delhaize – Belgium
The Belgian supermarket “Delhaize” opened its urban farm and greenhouse on the roof on one of its supermarkets in Brussel, where fruits and vegetables are grown in order to sell seasonal products as fresh as possible. In the best case, the products can be sold only a few hours after the harvest, while lowering their carbon footprint substantially. An external gardening company is commissioned to maintain the garden around the year. The greenhouse is heated by the excess heat of the supermarket’s refrigeration units. Delhaize’s innovation offers high quality and value of products, a minimization of transport efforts and consumer loyalty. Even gardening projects e.g. by schools can be held on the sustainable rooftop farm. Delhaize has developed a concept that reinvents the topic of sustainability in the supermarket. With this technology, a portion of the fresh vegetables in the assortment, like tomatoes, eggplants and zucchinis can be sourced locally, even in densely populated areas like Brussel.
#2 Deli’Vrac – Switzerland
Deli’Vrac launched a new online shop in Switzerland that sells fresh and organic food online but in reusable containers. You can order from their online shop and receive everything in glass jars or textile bags/reusable packaging. The next time you order online you return the jars etc. This service only exists in the French part of Switzerland at the moment. This company only uses sustainable packaging/reusable packaging and gets it back as soon as the next order is being delivered. It is one of the first online shops that offers this kind of packaging. Shops where you can bring your own jars were already known, but these are stationary vendors. In the case of Deli’Vrac you can buy/order everything online and it will be delivered sustainably to your house/home. The food is from local vendors and is biological as well as organic, which is this year’s trend, even more so because of COVID-19. There are a few shops that offer food without packaging/reusable packaging but there were no shops that would offer this online. Deli’Vrac’s intention is to fill this gap in Switzerland. This is a very new method to sell food online.
#3 VEJA X DARWIN – France
Since 2005, the French footwear brand VEJA provides a unique approach in sneakers designs, combining social projects, economic and social equity and eco-friendly fabrics. On June 25th 2020, the brand has opened a 250 sqm store in a famous former military barrack called Darwin in Bordeaux. VEJA chose this hybrid 90,000 sqm place that brings together 50 associations and 200 companies breaking the traditional way of integrating art, trade, culture and sports. Clean, repair, recycle: these are the 3 main objectives of the VEJA x DARWIN concept conceived to test a shopper lab and shape the “store of the future”. In a shoemaker’s workshop, called « Cordonnerie Veja », worn sneakers are repaired and cleaned while those in poor conditions are collected and recycled. Also, Veja has displayed various items such as never launched prototypes, sneakers with minimal defects at reduced prices and a few pairs of old collections. Furthermore, the store elements are locally sourced and the place enjoys a 100% renewable electricity. This concept of Veja is a trendsetter and shows once more a consitent approach in sustainable practices.