From home merchandise to pet foods, Meijer is giving vendors across the United States a chance to present their environmentally friendly products to company merchants at its Sustainability Supplier Summit.
The June 20-to-23 virtual event comes after a recent survey Meijer conducted to identify environmental issues relevant to its operation and its customers. Sourcing from companies with a strong commitment to sustainability, as well as expanding the retailer’s offerings of sustainable products, were among the most notable survey topics, the retailer stated.
Among its socially conscious initiatives, Meijer already has launched its first sustainable own-brand clothing lines made from recycled polyester and 100% organic cotton. The summit aims to expand Meijer’s sustainable product offerings and will focus on categories storewide, targeting 38 different certifications on vendor products or their manufacturing and procurement processes.
Meijer has partnered with Efficient Collaborative Retail Marketing and its subsidiary product discovery tool, RangeMe, to host the summit through the company’s ECRM Connect virtual platform.
“At Meijer, we understand that to be a good company, we must be a good neighbor, which is why we integrate environmental sustainability into our daily operations,” said Peter Whitsett, Meijer executive vice president, merchandising and marketing. “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.”
