From Retail Weeks, Green Is The New Black Report (March 2022), the top 5 UK consumer rated sustainable companies were: H&M, Nike, Primark, M&S and Amazon.

Now considering the detrimental impact that fast fashion has on the environment (i.e.             H & M and Primark) and the criticism Amazon has faced, particularly regarding its excess packaging, how have these three retail brands persuaded UK consumers that they are sustainable?

What H&M, Primark and Amazon do really well is making it easy for consumers to see what they are doing to be more sustainable – and for fashion brands, they make it easy for consumers to help support this commitment.

• Take H&M and Primark’s recycle scheme - both retailers have donation boxes for clothes and textiles in all their stores:
  • H&M have taken this a step further and reward their customers for being more “green”. Is it any wonder that that their garment collecting programme is the largest in the world when customers who donate clothes are rewarded with a voucher? 
  • Both brands also make a big deal about the recycled and sustainable materials they use in their clothes. H&M’s Conscious range is well known amongst shoppers and their loyalty scheme gives additional points for reusing bags and purchasing from its Conscious range
• Amazon has stopped packing products in single-use plastic delivery bags and envelopes in its distribution network.  Flexible paper bags and cardboard envelopes are used instead- making it easier for their customers to recycle.

These activities are both easy for consumers to understand and are clearly visible either online or when they visit the physical stores or when they have a parcel delivered.

So think about your company's sustainability practices and have a think about what activities can you make more overt for your consumers to see what you are doing.