Meijer Looks to Increase Its Sustainable Product Offerings

Meijer announced March 29 that it will host its first Sustainability Supplier Summit, giving vendors nationwide the opportunity to showcase sustainable products for the retailer to consider offering in its stores.

The Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer, whose current sustainable product range includes a private-label clothing line, will hold the summit virtually June 20-23. Products can be submitted in all store categories, from food to pets and home goods.

The event was spurred by a recent survey Meijer conducted to identify environmental issues relevant to the retailer and its customers. Through that, Meijer found sourcing from companies with a strong commitment to sustainability and expanding offerings of sustainable products to be key focus areas.

"To be a good company, we must be a good neighbor, which is why we integrate environmental sustainability into our daily operations," Peter Whitsett, EVP of merchandising and marketing for Meijer, said in a release. "But so much of what we do in this space extends beyond what customers see on our shelves, which was why we felt it was time to seek out sustainability-focused vendors to help us expand our significant base of sustainable product offerings."

Meijer's current range of sustainable and clean products includes its private-label clothing lines made with recycled polyester and 100% organic cotton. Half of Meijer's MTA Sport assortment in mens, womens and kids, as well as half of the mens Lake & Trail line, is made with at least 30% recycled polyester, created from post-consumer water bottles, the retailer said. And its Lullaby Lane collection for infants features textiles that are free from harmful chemicals and made with 100% organic cotton.

Meijer’s sustainability efforts extend beyond products, as well. It recently signed a renewable energy power purchase agreement with Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions for a solar project that will help the retailer reduce absolute carbon emissions by 50% by 2025.

For the Sustainability Supplier Summit, Meijer merchants are targeting 38 different certifications on vendor products, or their manufacturing and procurement processes. For seafood, for example, this means looking at vendors following the Best Aquaculture Practices; for toys, it means giving priority to vendors with Ecologo certifications to ensure products are made without harmful chemicals. When it comes to grocery and consumable products, merchants are looking for vendors who participate in the Rainforest Alliance Certification Program, which validates standards on forests, climate, human rights and livelihoods.

The push for more sustainable products comes at a time when consumers are keenly focused on their environmental footprint. A recent study from Retail Insight, which surveyed 1,059 U.S. adults, found that 77% have tried to be more sustainable in their consumption habits in the past 12 months. Furthermore, Retail Insight found that nearly half (49%) of those surveyed would pay a premium for “green” goods, and more than half (52%) would be happy for the price of their weekly shop to be higher if it meant helping the environment. 

Consumers aren't just looking for sustainable products for themselves, either. Katy Petzak, dog supplies merchant for Meijer, said, "We know an increasing number of consumers are shopping consciously to live a more sustainable lifestyle, which filters down to their pets." 

During the summit, Petzak will be looking for pet products that have sustainable packaging; cleaner and fewer ingredients; and recycled content in dog toys, leashes and collars.

Meijer is partnering with Efficient Collaborative Retail Marketing (ECRM) and its subsidiary product discovery tool, RangeMe, to host this event through the company's ECRM Connect virtual platform.

Meijer teams will review applications and select the vendors they would like to meet at the virtual summit. Suppliers not chosen for the summit will still be accessible through the RangeMe registration tool and may be reviewed by Meijer merchants again in the future as business needs change.