Unwanted gifts, one-wear festive jumpers, and buying a few spare packs of mince pies ‘just in case’ all make Christmas the most wasteful time of the year, notes Re_Set’s Emma Nineham. What role can retailers play when it comes to seasonal consumerism and sustainability?
How many times have you worn your Christmas jumper this year? We’re going to guess not a lot. New research shows that two out of five festive sweaters are only ever worn once – a stat that’s indicative of a wider issue around waste during the holiday season.
Christmas shines a spotlight on a challenge we are constantly talking about with our retail clients at Re_Set – how can they balance the planet’s need for reduced consumption with their need to maintain a sustainable business model?
From Black Friday to the extravagant Christmas adverts, there’s no denying this is the most wonderful season of all for driving spending. However, just a month after the world turned its attention to COP26 and in a year when consumers are more aware than ever of the eco impact their activities have, can this continue?
With the ‘shop ‘til you drop’ mantra standing as a direct challenge in the context of making more sustainable choices, how can retailers make the most of the Christmas period, while making good choices for the planet and its people?
Below are some of the biggest opportunities we see for retailers this Christmas:
1. Explore new revenue models
How can you help consumers rethink what gifting looks like? By making it fun to gift second hand or to buy experiences or services there’s a real opportunity for alternative revenue generation for retailers.
Or perhaps it’s time to offer a ‘rent a Christmas’ offering – from partywear to a tree. More than two-thirds of UK shoppers who said they had rented an item of clothing in the past, with a huge 69 per cent said they would consider doing so for future events such as Christmas parties. The last few years have also seen the rise of Christmas tree rental companies which save the trees from landfill once the season ends.
2. Encourage consumers to buy better
For retailers there’s a direct tension with selling something that lasts, as it stops consumers coming back for more. However, offering after-sales servicing to extend the customer relationship and create new sources of income if customers are buying fewer products could help to balance this dilemma.
Consider also your charity partnerships. Why not use retail space to enable donation of unwanted gifts, or offer customers the opportunity to buy a present and donate to a good cause?
3. Be transparent
There’s been a big rise in retailers championing transparency, supported by platforms including Provenance and Oritain. However, there’s still a long way to go and retailers need to increasingly commit to greater transparency to avoid the devastating label of greenwashing.
4. Take a bold stance
Taking a lesson from Patagonia’s iconic Black Friday ‘don’t buy this jacket’ campaign and Hiut Jeans shutting down its web store – are you bold enough to encourage shoppers to stop to think if they really need to buy that extra stocking filler or set of crackers?
When it comes to food, can retailers challenge customers to think differently about what they buy? Given the shops are only closed for two days at most, do supermarkets need to encourage ‘stocking up’, when much of the excess will end up in the bin.
5. Engage and influence customers
Changing the consumer’s stance on ‘buying new’ doesn’t mean their interaction with brands need to stop. Those retailers that can help facilitate a new way of engaging with their products and services are those that are likely to thrive in the future.
With so many consumers feeling the pressure of Christmas (and often financial strain), engaging consumers in more positive behaviours for our planet also presents an opportunity to help drive wellbeing for many.
The festive period heightens many of the challenges apparent in our ‘take-make-waste’ society. Retailers should seize the opportunity to consider how they can most positively influence the world, and enable the celebration of Christmas for many generations to come.
Emma Nineham is a Director at Re_Set
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