EDITOR’S NOTE: Down to Earth
As more and more American shoppers take to heart the lessons of environmental sustainability, Earth Day — the ecological observance this year marking its 40th anniversary — has become a major occasion for center store managers and CPG manufacturers to show just how green they are in terms of products and practices.
For instance, many companies, including Coca-Cola and Snyder’s of Hanover, have introduced new sustainable packaging to coincide with Earth Day. The Dasani water PlantBottle and Snyder’s EarthClear bags both employ plant-based materials, thereby lowering reliance on such non-renewable packaging resources as petroleum. Other manufacturers, among them Hormel, are bowing facilities incorporating the latest energy-efficient equipment features.
When it comes to sustaining health, CPG behemoth Henkel has gotten behind First Lady Michelle Obama’s initiative to help lower the rate of child obesity, with its “Henkel Helps Kids Gets Fit” program, which is timed to drop in time for the back-to-school season. And Hain Celestial, a major purveyor of organic foods, is sponsoring the fifth season of PBS’ “Everyday Food” TV program, which presents viewers with healthful recipes that can be prepared in just 30 minutes or less.
Linking the health of the planet to individual bodily health is a natural tactic in both grocery aisles and CPG companies’ marketing materials. After all, when shoppers care more about one issue, they generally are more likely to care about the other — and when such a connection is encouraged by the supermarkets and brands consumers trust, it can lead to healthier profits in center store as well.
For instance, many companies, including Coca-Cola and Snyder’s of Hanover, have introduced new sustainable packaging to coincide with Earth Day. The Dasani water PlantBottle and Snyder’s EarthClear bags both employ plant-based materials, thereby lowering reliance on such non-renewable packaging resources as petroleum. Other manufacturers, among them Hormel, are bowing facilities incorporating the latest energy-efficient equipment features.
When it comes to sustaining health, CPG behemoth Henkel has gotten behind First Lady Michelle Obama’s initiative to help lower the rate of child obesity, with its “Henkel Helps Kids Gets Fit” program, which is timed to drop in time for the back-to-school season. And Hain Celestial, a major purveyor of organic foods, is sponsoring the fifth season of PBS’ “Everyday Food” TV program, which presents viewers with healthful recipes that can be prepared in just 30 minutes or less.
Linking the health of the planet to individual bodily health is a natural tactic in both grocery aisles and CPG companies’ marketing materials. After all, when shoppers care more about one issue, they generally are more likely to care about the other — and when such a connection is encouraged by the supermarkets and brands consumers trust, it can lead to healthier profits in center store as well.