By Marco Passoni
If I see one more claim of being a “sustainability leader” in the travel retail market from a brand which has put some recycled plastic into its products, I am going to scream. Like the term “disruptive” in 2022, calling yourself a sustainability leader is losing all meaning in the market today.
The real issue is that a lot of the things brands and businesses are trying to pass off as innovative today are the base level – they are what I would call a ‘right to play’.
We are now in the post-Patagonia era when it comes to sustainability efforts from brands. As I have discussed before, shoppers are informed and expect the best from brands – and if Patagonia can turn itself into a foundation to support the natural world, then all brands can be doing much, much more.
This is also a missed opportunity for the travel retail market. This sector is a shop window for brands. They can meet new shoppers, create first impressions and share their story and their ideals with people who are open to new experiences and discoveries. So why would brands be skating on the bare minimum?
The real issue is that a lot of the things brands and businesses are trying to pass off as innovative today are the base level – they are what I would call a ‘right to play’.
We have seen evidence from m1nd-set and others that shoppers are willing to pay more for sustainable products – this is more true in some regions than others and I am a big believer that shoppers should not carry the full cost of sustainability, but they are engaged and invested. But sustainability has a bigger value that that for travel retail: it makes shoppers look up.
As consumers are more engaged with these products than ever before, they are also more likely to engage with a brand which is showcasing true sustainable credentials and telling a sustainability story, than every before.
Take a look at Gebr Heinemann’s Future Friendly initiative, which showcases products with a good sustainability story and has been well received by the travelling shoppers.
This sort of initiative is vital for travel retail, in my view. Doing work behind the scene is vital, businesses of all types must put sustainable efforts at the centre of their processes. But these must also be showcased for consumers, to create engaging and exciting spaces and experiences.
If travel retail is to be a true shop window and showcase for world travellers, then the brands and businesses in it must take the opportunity to put their sustainable credentials on display – but only with actual achievements, not paperweight claims.
