Growth Opportunities Driven by Sustainable Retail

This study focuses on sustainability practices in the retail sector. It examines the integration of sustainability practices in retail, encompassing supply chain management, eco-friendly product offerings, and the adoption of business models such as circular economy, zero-waste retail stores, and subscription-based retail.

Important drivers include governance and transparency, social responsibility, circular economy practices, and ethical consumerism. The key trends in sustainable retail include carbon-neutral or negative retailers, ethical fast fashion alternatives, and local and community-oriented retail. Drawing on industry case studies and trends, this study identifies barriers to sustainable retail adoption, such as costs, knowledge, and scalability. It reveals new opportunities for innovation; for example, adopting new green technologies, creating partnerships, and utilizing data to reduce waste.

The key findings emphasize the critical role of sustainability in enhancing brand value and contributing to global environmental goals. They highlight the growing importance of consumer demand for transparency, government and policy support, sustainable packaging, and the integration of sustainability into business models. Finally, the study is intended as a guide to help retailers properly position themselves in the sustainability-driven market, enabling more resilient retail ecosystems.


  • Transformational Growth Emerging from Sustainable Retail
    • Why is it Increasingly Difficult to Grow?
    • The Strategic Imperative 8
    • Our Megatrend Universe-Overview
    • Our Megatrend Universe-Sustainable Retail
    • Key Findings
    • Growth Opportunities Critical to Future Success
  • Ecosystem: Future Sustainable Retail Trends
    • Sustainable Retail
    • Key Trends in Sustainable Retail
    • Carbon-neutral or Negative Retailers
    • Ethical Fast Fashion Alternatives
    • Local and Community-oriented Retail
  • Ecosystem: Emerging Business Models Driving Sustainable Retail
    • Retail Circular Economy
    • Zero-waste Retail Stores
    • Subscription-based Retail
  • Companies to Action:Business Model Implementation Use Cases
    • Companies to Action-Retail Circular Economy
    • Companies to Action-Zero-waste Retail Stores
    • Companies to Action-Subscription-based Retail
  • Ecosystem: Sustainable Retail's Regional Outlook
    • EU Tax Incentives for Sustainable Investments
    • Incentives for Sustainable Investments
  • Growth Generator: Trend Attractiveness Analysis
    • Trend Attractiveness Analysis
  • Growth Opportunity Analysis
    • Trend Opportunity Impact and Certainty Analysis
    • Trend Opportunity Disruption Index
    • Trend Disruption Attractiveness Score
    • Trend Opportunity Growth Index
    • Growth Attractiveness Score
    • BEETS Implications for Sustainable Retail
  • Growth Opportunity Universe
    • Growth Opportunity 1: Sustainability Scoring and Consumer Transparency Apps
    • Growth Opportunity 2: Energy-efficient Delivery Networks
    • Growth Opportunity 3: Biodegradable and Reusable Packaging
  • Growth Opportunity Analysis: Critical Success Factors for Growth
    • Critical Success Factors for Growth
    • Conclusion
  • Appendix
    • Our Megatrend Universe
  • Next Steps
    • Benefits and Impacts of Growth Opportunities
    • Next Steps

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