Tesco, UK´s leading food retailer, will open the world´s first zero-carbon store

Tesco, UK´s leading retailer, will open the world´s first "zero-carbon"-store. The store is being built and will be opened in the city of Ramsey, Cambrigde (England). The building is being built using the latest green technologies, like combined heat and power to generate energy for the supermarket. The construction material will contain high levels of insulation, and if necessary it can be recycled. The use of glass reduces the use of lighting, fresh air will generated by top-roof wind-catchers. The supermarket will have sensor-controlled energy-efficient lighting.

Tesco has met an sustainability goal, one year earlier than planned. The chain is diverting 100% of the waste produced in all the UK supermarkets. With this waste Tesco created new innovative ways of turning garbage into fuel.

American retail study shows that low Income Shoppers are More Willing to Pay a Premium for Sustainability

The company Miller Zell an Atlanta based retail specialist company researches several different of topics inside the world of retail. Today this retail company published their study on green retailing, which type of consumer purchases green products.

The traditional thougth is that consumers who are most interested in environmental-friendly products have a higher income and overall lifestyle commitment to eco-friendly living. In the research done by this retail design and strategy firm Miller Zell the result is that shoppers with a lower income are the ones purchasing green products.

In the study it states that Income is not the only important factor when consumers decide to do green shopping, consumers with lower income are willing to pay a premium for green products. Women are also willing to pay more than men for green products.

The interest of consumers in sustainable products did not result yet in good promotion and information on the green products manufacturers and retailers have. Wal-Mart last week launched the plan to obtain information on the effects on the environment of their products and communicate the effect of the purchase of this product on the environment.

The study also shows the channels that are most effective to trigger the interest of the shopper in green products as well as differences between the different generations and genders.
To download a copy of the study results, visit the Miller Zell blog, Inside the Aisle at http://insidetheaisle.com/mz-research-surveys/.

Does the outcome of this research come as a surprise for you? Which actions do you take to save the environment? Which advices would you like to share with the other readers of this blog?