Making sustainability affordable in Brazil
By Andrea Thomas on January 24, 2012 4 comments
I was just in Brazil where I walked the aisles of one of our eco-efficient stores. These are amazing buildings packed with great ideas ranging from express aisles for customers using reusable bags to infrastructure made from recycled material. I snapped a few photos with my BlackBerry which you’ll see below.
When I was at this eco-efficient store in Sao Paulo, I also had the chance to see first-hand an innovative partnership that is changing our industry. In the laundry aisle, I found a great example of End to End, where Walmart Brazil is partnering with top suppliers to examine the lifecycle of their products and make them more sustainable.
Cloth-only check-out aisle
The laundry aisle features detergent that is concentrated and in smaller containers. We’ve learned that compaction can confuse consumers and leave them feeling as if they aren’t getting as much as they used to for their money, something I mentioned that we also experienced in the U.S. Now, the aisle also includes plenty of labeling and education so that they recognize they are saving just as much and helping the environment at the same time.
People should not have to choose between products they can afford and products that are better for the planet. End to End is helping make sustainability more affordable by studying the environmental impacts of products across their lifecycle or “from end to end.”
Walmart Brazil is finding big opportunities to decrease packaging and water and incorporate more recycled materials. And the benefits go beyond Walmart. Suppliers see the benefits and incorporate the changes into the products they supply to others.
The recycle center at the store in Sao Paulo
What’s happening in Brazil really is a model and something to aspire to. You can read more about it: http://walmartstores.com/sites/ResponsibilityReport/2011/social_Communities.aspx
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1.
Claus Conzelmann | January 24, 2012 at 1:05 pm
Dear Blog Moderator: It seems my previous comment got truncated, I attach the original text below:
Hi Andrea,I love your blog and think it is very innovative and courageous. Being in charge not only of environmental sustainability but also Safety & Health at one of your major suppliers I would like to point out an improvement opportunity to eliminate a slip hazard next to the recycling container (water splash).
Keep up the great work!
Claus
2.
Walmart Green Room | January 25, 2012 at 12:01 pm
Thanks for your thoughts, Claus! We hope you enjoy the blog.
3.
Anna Smalley | February 11, 2012 at 2:34 am
Hi Andrea,
Love this post – my husband is from Brazil and one of my favorite things to do when we go down there is visit Walmarts and see what they’re doing around sustainability.
I also have two questions – first, it looks like the sign in the first photo says that customers who don’t use plastic bags will get a discount, which is fantastic, but the caption says that there are cloth bag ONLY checkout aisle – is that true? Because if so, how incredibly brilliant! Have there been discussions of doing that in other markets (e.g. the U.S.)? It just seems like actually seeing customers with reusable bags in their own special line could motivate many, many people to want to join them.
Second question – the strongest, sturdiest, most long-lasting reusable bags I have ever come across, by far, happen to be made from woven plastic in Brazil. They’re also very pretty and come in endless color combinations – here’s an example: http://www.clasf.com.br/sacola-retornvel-para-brindes-e-eventos-em-jardim-232619#more_info. I also assume they’d be perfect candidates for being made from salvaged or recycled plastic, if they aren’t already. Just wondering if Walmart Brasil has ever (or would ever) considered selling them? (If they haven’t but would be interested, the bags are sold in multiple stalls in the Mercado Central in Belo Horizonte: http://www.mercadocentral.com.br/).
Thanks again for this post and the whole blog. Really enjoying it!
Anna
4.
Walmart Green Room | February 13, 2012 at 5:22 pm
Thanks for your thoughts, Anna! We do have cloth-only check out lines at some stores, including this store in Brazil. We’re glad you enjoyed the post- keep checking the blog to find out more about our sustainability practices around the globe!