Environmental Sustainability

Consumers have long said they prefer sustainable products, and a new study shows that they've been putting their money where their mouth is. Researchers from McKinsey and NielsenIQ studied 600,000 products from 44,000 brands and conclusively found that products that make environmental, social and governance (ESG) claims experienced faster growth than products without them. This…

Best Buy is extending its gadget recycling program to include a new mail-in option. The retailer will now sell you a box for your used electronics that you can ship back for recycling, saving a trip to the store. Best Buy says it’s recycled 2.7 billion pounds of electronics and appliances through its existing programs,…

One of the first times I saw a retailer divert a consumer from using a single-use plastic bag was at a certain Swedish home goods store almost 15 years ago. It was charging a few cents to use a single-use plastic bag or selling the now globally recognized oversized blue and yellow reusable bag for…

The environmental toll of the fashion industry is astounding. Each year the fashion industry creates an estimated 92 million tons of textile waste while creating nearly 20 percent of the world’s water pollution. Sixty percent of apparel products today aren’t recyclable, so most of them are dumped in landfills or burned. And it gets worse:…

As Total Retail reported last week, H&M launched a resale program in collaboration with thredUP. “H&M Pre-Loved” offers shoppers an easy way to find secondhand pieces for their wardrobes. The new shop also continues the retailer’s sustainability mission of establishing circular business models for itself and customers. To learn more about its new resale program, Total Retail connected with Abigail…

H&M launched a resale program Tuesday in collaboration with thredUP, an online consignment platform that has partnered with dozens of brands to run their used clothing sales, the fast-fashion retailer told Reuters. H&M will be the largest retailer to work with thredUP, and the partnership will mark the retailer's first resale marketplace in the United States,…

The retail industry is changing like never before, and sustainability has increasingly become a crucial factor in the success of modern organizations. This trend is likely to stay popular for years to come. This can be attributed to a variety of things, from legal ramifications (laws being enacted around sustainability) to a consumer shift. Sustainable…

Most U.S. consumers (three out of five) now rank environmental sustainability as a top factor in their purchasing decisions, and that number jumps to 75 percent for Gen Z. However, while many online retailers are adopting eco-friendly production and sales practices, the post-purchase process remains a challenge to sustainability. Shoppers return between 15 percent and…

There's a unique joy to finding a pre-loved item that would have otherwise been out of reach. Whether thrifting or going through resale websites, these kinds of discoveries have always been delightful and help customers feel like they found something truly special. There was a time when making these discoveries meant braving the pages of…

This holiday season, Americans are looking to spread some cheer by spending on gifts, food and décor, and they’re increasingly choosing the most eco-friendly options available. Frequently dubbed “The Most Wasteful Time of Year,” the Christmas holiday has a well-documented effect on the environment. As waste left over from days of celebration breaks down in landfills, toxic…