Carrefour will be running a ‘Mission Zéro Plastique’ online consultation via the Cap Collectif platform from 30th October to 30th November as part of an original initiative designed to involve customers in identifying the solutions of the future.
Over the course of the month Carrefour is inviting all residents to contribute to the drafting of its 2020 action plan for reducing plastic in stores. “Every year some 8 to 12 million tonnes of plastic end up in the world’s oceans, and reducing our plastic footprint is one of the major issues facing our company. Reducing plastic waste is a matter of concern to any responsible company, and eliminating it altogether represents a major commitment that will require a collective response, which is why we have decided to consult you and ask for your help in identifying the solutions of the future”, the brand explains.
Co-creation initiatives generally tend to concern products or services, but the collective brainstorming approach adopted by Carrefour is original in that it concerns a corporate strategy.
This means that anyone can put forward a solution for eliminating plastic packaging from fruits & vegetables – both organic and conventional -, fresh products such as pastries, pies and cakes, and ‘ready-to-eat’ products.
The joint development of an anti-plastic strategy
Consulting its customers and asking for their help in identifying the solutions of the future is a commendable approach adopted by a major brand that no longer plans to make certain decisions without involving key stakeholders and seeking their opinions. Those who visit its stores every day are considered far more than just customers; they are seen as co-creators who are both inspired and inspiring.
Carrefour has also developed an educational component as part of this collaborative brainstorming approach whereby the brand explains the background to each theme, the reason for using plastic on its products and the issues and challenges associated with the packaging in question.
A very encouraging first step towards change, then,
and one that might pave the way for further progress in the future, perhaps? Take the opportunity that this consultation presents to enable all parties to spontaneously improve their knowledge and expertise? Of course, it’s always easier to find relevant and even innovative solutions when you have a good grasp of a subject, and knowing that there is a difference between plastic, nylon, acrylic, cellulose and PET, for example, or that some plastics are recyclable and others are not, would be a great place to start, as would knowing what further measures we could take in order to work together to identify the solutions of the future.
By Nathan Stern, president of Altavia Shoppermind