The Executive’s Daily Green Briefing

May 2, 2008

Grocery Chains Get Green Grades

ca_green_grocers_report.jpgCorporate Knights Magazine has unveiled a Green Grocer Report Card (PDF) — the ranking looks at the ways major Canadian grocery chains promote and integrate environmental issues into the shopping experience.

Here’s how they grade:

Mainstream grocers
1. Loblaw Companies Limited: C+
2. Safeway Inc.: C
3. Metro Inc.: C
4. Sobeys Inc.: C

Specialized grocers
1. Planet Organic Market Ltd.: A
2. Whole Foods Market: B+

With private-label organic lines and fair trade coffee just about standard in mainstream stores, it is clear that grocers have crossed a green threshold. But the report card shows there is room for improvement across the board, since environmentally-friendly household goods, local produce, and sustainable meat and fish were difficult to find at the stores visited.

While the specialty grocers’ are models for their mainstream peers, they fared poorly in their selection of local produce and neither grocery chain featured sustainably-farmed fish in their stores.

The corporate questionnaire revealed that Canadian grocers are aware that their customer base is demanding products that fit an environmentally-friendly lifestyle.

“Grocers are making commendable changes to their corporate strategies, including building LEED-standard buildings and making it easier for individual stores to source local food,” says Melissa Shin, Associate Editor. “However, there is a disconnect between what is being promoted at the corporate level and what the consumer sees during his or her weekly shopping trip.”

The full results of the Report, including recommendations, a grading key, and a copy of the grocer survey, are available here.

Join the Discussion

Today's News

Using Green IT To Get Out Of The Red And Into The Black

Using Green IT To Get Out Of The Red And Into The Black

Today's combination of dwindling natural resources, economic uncertainty, and the growing threat of global warming underscores the urgent need to embrace "being ... continue »

Measuring, Managing, Saving: Making Energy Efficiency Visible
Lean And Clean With Green Purchasing
‘Recyclable’ Is So Last-Century
Successfully Enticing LOHAS Consumers to Grocery Stores
Belief In Global Warming Slips

Belief In Global Warming Slips

The proportion of Americans who say that the earth is getting warmer has decreased since January 2007, mostly because of a decline ...

click to view full size chart »

U.S. Lags Behind On Green Consumption And Behavior
Green Marketing Campaigns Not Sticking
eCommerce Goes Green
Sony, Mohawk Bring Greener Products To Market

Sony, Mohawk Bring Greener Products To Market

Big companies are pushing research to bring greener products to market, according to this CNN video....

click to view video »

Tour Of Citigroup’s Green Skyscraper
China’s Plastic Bag Crackdown Is Windfall For Cloth Bag-Makers
Customer CSR Expectations Top Of Mind For CEOs
The Bottom Line

Marketing

Green Marketing Campaigns Not Sticking

Adam Werbach’s Answer To Consumerism’s Global Warming Blues

Green-Themed Email Marketing Sees Big Bump

Emissions

Kohl’s Installing Solar Power On 50 More Stores

Companies Respond To Climate Change Shareholder Resolutions

Starwood Going Green With Element Hotels

Hi-Tech

Using Green IT To Get Out Of The Red And Into The Black

Cutting The Internet’s Carbon Footprint

Report: Data Center Energy Efficiency Needs To Double By 2012

Efficiency

Virtual Hotel Aims To Improve Industry Sustainability

Popularity Of Energy Efficiency Utilities Grows

EBay Tops List Of Largest Solar Installations In San Jose

Manufacturing

Ford Racks Up Another Environmental First

China’s Plastic Bag Crackdown Is Windfall For Cloth Bag-Makers

IBM, GSK, Herman Miller See Healthy ROI From Green Purchasing

Carbon Offsets/RECs

Enel Buys $232 Million Of Carbon Credits From China’s Wuhan Steel

RGGI Cap And Trade To Go Online Sept. 10

NAM, ACCF: Lieberman-Warner Bill Will Cost U.S. Big

CSR Reports

Brazilian, Indian Companies Dominate GRI Reporting Awards

CSR: Chevron To Invest $2.5B in Alternative, Renewable Energy Tech

Colgate-Palmolive Improves Production Efficiency

Major Players

Sony, Mohawk Bring Greener Products To Market

Tour Of Citigroup’s Green Skyscraper

Food Services Industry Hammered On Climate Performance

See All Topics »