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1 – 10 of over 5000Valérie Charrière and Sophie Morin-Delerm
An in-depth analysis of management and academic literature regarding sustainable development, on the one hand, and retailers' involvement on the other, has been conducted. Related…
Abstract
An in-depth analysis of management and academic literature regarding sustainable development, on the one hand, and retailers' involvement on the other, has been conducted. Related topics such as responsibility (Barthel, 2006; Binninger, 2008; Lauriol, 2004; Pasquero, 2005; Thierry, 2005), trust (Guibert, 1999; Lapeyre & Bonnefont, 2004; Sireix et al., 2004; Swaen & Chumpitaz, 2008), and consumer resistance (Aouina-Mejri & Benhallam, 2009; Peñaloza & Price, 1993; Roux, 2007) have also been investigated. Furthermore, we studied the theoretical corpus of the frameworks used (Stakeholder Theory and Legitimacy Theories).
Peter Jones, David Hillier and Daphne Comfort
– The purpose of this paper is to offer an exploratory case study of how the UK’s leading retailers are addressing sustainable consumption.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to offer an exploratory case study of how the UK’s leading retailers are addressing sustainable consumption.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper begins with a discussion of the growing awareness of the importance of sustainable consumption and of the role that retailers can play in promoting more sustainable patterns of consumption. This is followed by a short literature review of current thinking on sustainable consumption. The paper draws its empirical information from the top ten UK retailers’ corporate websites and from an observational survey conducted in these retailers’ largest stores in the town of Cheltenham in the UK. The paper concludes with some reflections on how the UK’s leading retailers are addressing sustainable consumption and on how the concept fits into their business models.
Findings
The findings reveal that the UK’s top ten retailers make very limited public corporate commitments to sustainable consumption and that while some of these retailers were offering customers some information which might encourage more sustainable shopping behaviour, such information was systematically undermined by marketing messages which were designed to encourage rather than restrict consumption. More critically the paper concludes that the leading retailers’ commitments to sustainable consumption are couched within existing business models centred on continuing growth and that as such they are effectively ignoring the fact that present levels of consumption are not sustainable.
Originality/value
This paper provides an accessible review of the extent to which the UK’s leading food retailers are addressing sustainable consumption and communicating sustainable consumption agendas to their customers within stores, and, as such, it will be of value to academics, practitioners, consumer organizations and policymakers interested in the role retailers can play in promoting sustainable consumption.
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María Eugenia Ruiz-Molina and Laure Lavorata
Brand equity has been highlighted as a crucial element in differentiating products and achieving competitive advantage. Recent studies reflect the gradual rise in interest in the…
Abstract
Brand equity has been highlighted as a crucial element in differentiating products and achieving competitive advantage. Recent studies reflect the gradual rise in interest in the importance of building brand equity linked to the store. However, empirical evidence about the antecedents of store brand equity is still scarce, particularly on the retailer’s corporate social responsibility behavior. This chapter aims to analyze the influence of the retailer’s commitment to sustainable development (RCSD) and the credibility of the retailer’s communications on the overall store brand equity. Focusing on two samples of hypermarket customers in France and Spain, the findings provide evidence on the importance of the RCSD regarding employees, society, and environment, as well as the effectiveness of credible communications to generate store brand equity. Results are consistent for France and Spain.
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Peter Jones, David Hillier and Daphne Comfort
The purpose of this paper is to offer an exploratory case study of how the UK's top ten food retailers are communicating sustainable consumption agendas to their customers within…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to offer an exploratory case study of how the UK's top ten food retailers are communicating sustainable consumption agendas to their customers within stores.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper begins with a discussion of the growing awareness of the role that retailers, and more particularly food retailers, can play in promoting sustainable consumption. This is followed by a short literature review of current thinking on sustainable consumption. Information obtained from two simple “walk through/visual observation and information collection” surveys conducted within the largest store operated by each of the top ten food retailers within the towns of Cheltenham and Gloucester, UK, provided the empirical material for the case study. The paper concludes with some reflections on how sustainable consumption fits into the large food retailers' business models.
Findings
The survey revealed that, while the UK's top ten food retailers were providing customers with some information on sustainable consumption, the dominant thrust of marketing communication within stores was designed to encourage consumption. More generally, the paper concludes that, at best, the UK's leading food retailers are pursuing a weak model of sustainable consumption and that their definitions of, and engagement with, sustainable consumption is driven as much by commercial imperatives as by commitments to sustainability.
Originality/value
This paper provides an accessible review of the extent to which the UK's leading food retailers are communicating sustainable consumption agendas to their customers within stores and as such it will be of value to academics, practitioners, consumer organisations and policy makers interested in the role retailers can play in promoting sustainable consumption.
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Antonio Marín-García, Irene Gil-Saura and Maria-Eugenia Ruiz-Molina
The purpose of this study is two-fold. First, to examine the relationship between the retailer’s innovativeness and sustainability from the customer standpoint. Second, to assess…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is two-fold. First, to examine the relationship between the retailer’s innovativeness and sustainability from the customer standpoint. Second, to assess the impact of the retailer’s innovativeness and commitment toward sustainability as perceived by the consumer on store image and store equity.
Design/methodology/approach
To achieve this objective, a theoretical model is proposed based on the literature that is tested through an empirical study conducted on a sample of 510 customers of three grocery retail formats – i.e. hypermarkets, supermarkets and discount stores.
Findings
The results obtained confirm the hypotheses proposed and, consequently, both innovation and sustainability emerge as key elements in the development of store equity through store image.
Originality/value
This study allows to draw a set of managerial recommendations for food retailers based on the benefits of investing in innovative processes, that boosted by the implementation of innovative solutions, assist in the development of sustainable practices, thus allowing improvements in store image and store brand equity.
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María Eugenia Ruiz-Molina and Irene Gil-Saura
Over the last decade, retailers have shown an increasing interest in providing evidence of the sustainability of their activities. This is mainly due to the demands of policy and…
Abstract
Over the last decade, retailers have shown an increasing interest in providing evidence of the sustainability of their activities. This is mainly due to the demands of policy and consumers as well as competition. Indeed, several retailers are making efforts to design and implement sustainable practices from a Triple Bottom Line approach (i.e., economic, social, and environmental sustainability). This chapter discusses the sustainable practices of leading Spanish top grocery and apparel retailers, focusing on those that may be considered as setting benchmarks in their respective sectors. A content analysis of annual report sections related to sustainability, independent sustainability reports, and information published by these main Spanish retailers, enables us to identify three main types of practices providing evidence of retailers’ sustainability. These are cross-industry sustainable practices, industry-dependent practices, and firm innovations. These practices may become guidance and inspiration for other retailers in these sectors, as well as in other product assortment.
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Peter Jones, Daphne Comfort and David Hillier
The purpose of this paper is to offer an outline of, and commentary on, Retail Futures published by Forum for the Future in September 2007.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to offer an outline of, and commentary on, Retail Futures published by Forum for the Future in September 2007.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper begins with a brief description of the factors identified as being likely to drive future retail change, outlines each of the four scenarios depicting how the retail sector could look in 2022 and the implications for sustainable development and then offers some general reflections on these scenarios.
Findings
In reflecting on the scenarios, the paper focuses on four sets of issues namely the difficulties involved in constructing retail futures; doubts about retailers' current and future commitment to sustainable development; debates about the role of retailers vis‐à‐vis customers in driving retail change; and a discussion of the seemingly limited role and impact of planning policy and legislation on the future of retailing.
Originality/value
The paper offers an accessible review of possible future scenarios for retailing in the UK and as such provides a platform for the discussion of such futures amongst academics, students, planners and those working in the retail sector of the economy.
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Irene Sánchez-González, Irene Gil-Saura and Maria-Eugenia Ruiz-Molina
The present research aims to analyse the retailer's commitment to sustainable development (RCSD) perceived by the consumers and how it contributes to store equity creation through…
Abstract
Purpose
The present research aims to analyse the retailer's commitment to sustainable development (RCSD) perceived by the consumers and how it contributes to store equity creation through image, perceived quality and loyalty.
Design/methodology/approach
A primary research was conducted through a structured questionnaire to analyse the relationships between the variables included in the proposed model. The fieldwork was conducted in 2019, obtaining responses from 617 retail consumers from four cities in Ecuador – Quito, Guayaquil, Cuenca and Machala – obtained. A structural equation model is estimated with the partial least squares technique.
Findings
There is evidence in favour of the contribution of sustainability to store equity. The positive influence of RCSD on perceived quality and the impact of the latter, together with store image, contribute to loyalty, which emerges as a critical construct in building store equity.
Research limitations/implications
Some limitations of the present study – geographic scope limited to Ecuador, analyses restricted to food retailers and pre-COVID-19 data collection – may open new research opportunities replicating the study in other regions for other retail activities and in the post pandemic context.
Practical implications
The retailer's actions demonstrate a commitment to economic, social and environmental sustainability. As a result of this, the establishment's perceived quality improves, which is of interest to academics and retail management professionals.
Originality/value
The present research provides evidence on the chain of effects that explains the positive contribution of RCSD to store equity creation in grocery retailing.
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Peter Jones, Daphne Comfort, David Hillier and Ian Eastwood
Aims to offer a simple exploratory review of how the major retailers in the UK are tackling the issue of sustainable development.
Abstract
Purpose
Aims to offer a simple exploratory review of how the major retailers in the UK are tackling the issue of sustainable development.
Design/methodology/approach
The top 20 retailers, based on 2002 sales figures, were selected for analysis and an internet search of their web sites, exploring their “corporate social responsibility” reports and statements, was undertaken.
Findings
The review suggests that the majority of the major retailers are addressing sustainability agendas, that they recognise, albeit in varying measure, the impacts their businesses have on the environment, the economy and society and several of them are looking to measure and benchmark their performance.
Originality/value
Sustainable development is attracting increasing attention in government and in the business community and the paper provides students pursuing retail and business management programmes, academic staff teaching on them and retail researchers and consultants with a contemporary view of how the UK's large retailers are addressing the issue.
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