Recovery retail is all about sustainability

Consumers demand more attention to environmentally friendly stores

It’s important to 67% of consumers worldwide that the brands they shop at are committed to the environment. That’s according to Shopper Sentiments research from Mood Media, the company that provides in-store media solutions to improve the customer experience. Nearly the same percentage, 66%, believe that the physical stores where they make their purchases should be environmentally friendly. Consumers between the ages of 35 and 44 in particular value brands and stores that share their interest in a better environment and sustainability.

Although the corona pandemic and lockdowns had put sustainability on hold, the topic is once again high on the agenda in the retail sector. When it comes to in-store sustainability, the survey reveals that consumers are not impressed with the pace of change. More attention is being paid to the sustainability initiatives of the retail organizations that consumers deal with on a daily basis.

“Our job is to help brands create an emotional experience for their customers. This includes evaluating and instituting solutions and processes to help them reduce the environmental impact of their physical store locations. In addition, Mood Media helps evaluate how they can improve efficiencies and optimize technology solutions,” explained Jonathan Wharrad, VP of Global Retail Brand Experience at Mood Media.

Helping with eco-friendly store design
To advise retailers on reducing their carbon footprint and implementing eco-friendly store designs, Mood Media partners with Design Conformity. “At Design Conformity we have been applauding carbon assessments for a number of years, but recently we have seen a real turnaround in the industry. Europe is leading the way, urging companies to provide accurate and verified carbon emissions data to customers and shareholders. We’re working globally with brands, retailers and in-store media specialists, such as Mood Media, to bring lifecycle and carbon assessments up to ISO standards, so companies can report their improvements. In the past, sustainability was mostly ‘nice-to-have.’ Now CO2 is becoming a kind of currency.” says Adam Hamilton-Fletcher, MD at Design Conformity.

Impact of audio-visual store equipment
Through partnerships with quality manufacturers including Bose, Samsung and LG, Mood is able to ensure that audio-visual equipment is carefully chosen and lasts longer. This reduces the environmental impact of replacing equipment. In addition, Mood Media developed Mood Harmony™, a point-of-sale content management platform from which music, messaging and visuals can be controlled. The platform is supported by a media player that consumes less than 10 watts of power and requires few physical updates. When store equipment does need to be replaced, the partnership with CHG ensures that it can be recycled. This can further reduce the impact of the installation.

“For retail to recover after the pandemic, stores cannot ignore consumers and their desire to reward companies that go beyond words in terms of sustainability and taking effective action,” Wharrad concludes.

For more information on sustainability in the retail sector, download Mood Media’s white paper here.