Approaches and tools to educate your customers about sustainable products

Eco-responsibility is becoming increasingly crucial for retailers. With increasing consumer demands and new regulatory requirements, adopting sustainable practices has become indispensable. By clearly communicating about sustainable products, retailers can meet market demands while also driving changes in consumer behavior. Explore the strategies to effectively blend performance with environmental responsibility.

The challenges of sustainable products

The importance of eco-responsibility today

Eco-responsibility encompasses all practices designed to reduce the environmental impact of an activity. This includes using sustainable materials, adopting eco-friendly production methods, optimizing logistics, and improving waste management.

Research shows that 85% of consumers seek greater transparency from retailers and brands concerning product sustainability. Additionally, 72% of global consumers are willing to spend more on sustainable products. By educating their customers, retailers can boost their brand image and stand out amidst competition.

Embracing sustainability isn’t just about enhancing brand image; it also provides opportunities to cut costs by reducing packaging, streamlining the supply chain, and refining inventory management. These measures minimize losses and lead to substantial savings.

In France, the Anti-Waste for a Circular Economy Law (AGEC) mandates that retail companies reduce waste, improve consumer information about the environmental impact of products, and support recycling. Failure to comply can result in financial penalties and tarnish the company’s image.

In light of these challenges, retailers must adopt technological solutions that centralize and automate regulatory monitoring. Orisha Commerce’s unified commerce platform enables comprehensive product data management, ensuring traceability and compliance with existing standards.

The environmental impact of consumption choices

Responsible consumption entails making choices that better respect the environment and society. Consumption decisions have significant impacts:

• Greenhouse gas emissions: The production, transportation, and consumption of goods considerably contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, driving climate change.
• Resource depletion: Overconsumption causes the over-extraction of resources, leading to environmental degradation through excessive extraction of raw materials like minerals and fossil fuels.
• Pollution: Manufacturing and disposing of products produce waste and pollutants that contaminate soil, water, and air.

The characteristics of sustainable products

Quality and transparency of raw materials

Sustainable design involves several crucial criteria:

• Quality of materials,
• Transparency about product composition,
• Supply chain traceability.
  Brands must communicate clearly on these points to educate customers, including providing detailed labels on all products.

Sustainable products depend largely on durable and eco-friendly raw materials. In fashion, for instance, choosing fibers like organic cotton is preferred. By selecting high-quality materials, extending product lifespan, and reducing plastic usage, companies can significantly lessen environmental impact.

Eco-responsible certifications and labels

Eco-responsible certifications and labels enable consumers to identify products that respect the environment and labor conditions. Labels like GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), which mandates a minimum of 70% organic fibers, and Bluesign, which certifies a sustainable production process, ensure responsible sourcing and manufacturing.

Additionally, labels such as the Fair Wear Foundation certify respect for workers’ rights, while the GRS (Global Recycled Standard) focuses on sustainable resource management. Selecting manufacturers who embrace responsible practices ensures production meets consumer expectations. For instance, H&M favors GOTS and GRS certified materials in its Conscious collection and runs a program to collect used clothes for recycling. The brand further boosts transparency with a product traceability tool on their website.

Encouraging responsible purchasing

How to raise awareness about sustainable development?

While sustainable development is gaining momentum, retailers should assist customers by sharing details about carbon footprints, recycled materials, and product labels. Aigle exemplifies this approach by adding QR codes to product labels, offering insights into the entire production chain.

Establishing buy-back programs encourages responsible purchasing. Retailers can offer a clothing buy-back service in exchange for vouchers or create a second-hand section both in-store and online.

Promoting sustainable development can also include rewarding responsible behaviors through gamification and incentives. Providing spare parts and repair workshops to improve repairability further encourages eco-friendly consumption.

Increasingly committed brands

Patagonia is a leader in ethical outdoor fashion and gear, renowned for its dedication to eco-responsibility. An impressive 98% of materials used by Patagonia are recycled, organic, or certified. The brand is also pioneering ecological alternatives. Its Worn Wear program promotes the repair and resale of second-hand Patagonia products, with mobile stands providing free repairs across several countries. Additionally, Patagonia donates 1% of its revenue to environmental causes.

Darty champions the durability of electronic and household products through its Le Choix Durable label, which helps consumers identify the most reliable and repairable items. Darty Max is a subscription service offering unlimited repairs for household appliances to prevent premature replacements. The brand is committed to the circular economy, partnering with specialists for the buy-back of old appliances and promoting refurbished products at discounted prices.

Building a trusting relationship with your customers

Highlighting your commitment to sustainability

To showcase your responsible commitment, fully transparent communication about your supply chain and product origins is essential. Share the stories and testimonials from employees and suppliers, detailing the challenges faced and progress achieved.

Employee engagement is crucial, as they serve as the face of your commitment to customers, promoting circular economy practices through buy-back and repair programs.

Valuing ReCommerce

ReCommerce is becoming a sustainable solution to overconsumption, addressing both consumer concerns about their environmental impact and retailers’ goals to incorporate the circular economy into their strategies. This approach involves adding second-hand products to the sales mix, offering economic benefits to customers by providing quality items at more accessible prices.

To effectively implement ReCommerce, ensuring a smooth buying and selling experience is essential. Integrate ReCommerce into the customer journey by providing dedicated spaces both in-store and online, along with tailored delivery and return options.

A unified management system enables real-time monitoring of both new and refurbished product inventory. Dynamic pricing algorithms adjust prices according to demand. Orisha Commerce supports retailers in managing their second-hand offerings by incorporating tracking and price optimization tools.

The Kiabi group has effectively implemented ReCommerce through Kidkanaï, a concept store wholly dedicated to second-hand items. Kidkanaï has streamlined the customer journey using Orisha Commerce software, incorporating fixed, mobile, and second-hand-specific checkouts.

The importance of customer service and responsible delivery

Customer service is vital in fostering responsible choices. It helps managing returns efficiently and conveys the ecological footprint of products. Orisha Commerce’s unified commerce platform facilitates real-time monitoring of customer requests, ensuring effective returns management and data centralization. Discover our ReCommerce solution!

Shipping and returning products contribute to 37% of total e-commerce greenhouse gas emissions. Embracing a sustainable approach helps minimize transportation’s ecological impact. Orisha Commerce’s platform offers multiple delivery options to align with customer expectations and maintain eco-responsibility.

By educating customers and embracing sustainable practices, retailers are pivotal in promoting more responsible consumption. They pledge to provide environmentally-friendly, accessible alternatives. Unified management technologies deliver efficient solutions that marry performance with environmental responsibility.