This system can be confusing to consumers as the energy labels are not comparable across different types of products due to the test used for calculating its energy rating. The directive under which the energy label falls is due to be reviewed in 2014, although there is no obligation to change it from how it currently stands. The Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances, the UK trade association which represents manufacturers of small and domestic appliances, is hoping for changes.
Looking at what the new regulation could hold Sian
Lewis, associate executive for AMDEA, says: “If it were agreed that there should be a change AMDEA would like to see an open-ended scale that would allow for future improvements without this requiring the energy classes to be downgraded.”
However with the rise of online shopping it seems there is some disparity between the online retailers and their high street counterparts. This could change though thanks to new regulation. Lewis explains: “The intention of the new regulation for online labelling information is intended to ensure that consumers who buy online will get the same information as if they buy in a shop. AMDEA would hope that this would encourage more consumers to be aware of their energy consumption.”
Lewis explains that the use of energy labelling can be seen as a valuable marketing tool throughout Europe, and to a lesser extent, the UK.
Marketing
The power of eco labelling as a marketing tool should not be under estimated and many retailers and brands are making bold claims about their work, some of which will be communicated by an eco label. More retailers are advertising the fact that they are taking action to reduce their environmental impacts and this is something that customers can directly see reflected by the products on the shelves. Waitrose has recently pledged to have all of its fish
independently certified as sustainable by 2016. The retailer explains that the MSC scheme is sufficient evidence of responsible fishing, with some of its goods certified under the scheme already. Responsible and sustainable fishing has recently been shoved under the limelight thanks to a campaign called Fish Fight. Spearheaded by celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, the campaign aims to stop the waste of fish caused by the EU discards policy which sees edible fish wasted.
The MSC is also working on this front and
has been for well over a decade. The Council’s aim is to use its eco label and fishery certification programme to contribute to the health of the world’s oceans by recognising and rewarding sustainable fishing practices.
Toby Middleton, MSC’s UK country manager, says:
“It is an issue that we know but it is also one that makes good strong business sense from an ethical and commercial perspective. No one wants to catch, sell or eat the last fish so from that point of view there is a strong case on all fronts to support sustainable seafood.”
However, Middleton explains that some of the biggest progress with eco labels doesn’t come off the back of large campaigns; it is more of a quiet process. Discussing the certification programme, Middleton says: “Starting from the bottom up, globally all seafood captured runs at about 95 million tonnes and we have about 11 million tonnes in the programme so just over 10%. That equates to 400 different fisheries of all shapes and sizes around the world. In terms of the consumers, that amounts to 19,000 products in 104 countries.” The UK is one of the leading markets in this area with about 1,500 products sporting the MSC label. Middleton says there has been a strengthening in the retail sector in terms of the explicit commitment made to sourcing sustainable fish and a growth in the number of products certified. From a consumer point of view, Middleton believes sustainably sourced foods and products should not cost more than their unsustainable counterparts. While this may not always be possible, the cost of sustainably sourced goods is spread across the supply chain meaning consumers don’t take the full hit. More broadly Middleton says consumers are thinking about their food – where it comes from and how it was grown and/or caught. Additionally, he says increasingly consumers are looking at convenience food options and sustainable sourcing shouldn’t just be limited to fresh whole fillets of fish but should span the supermarket aisles from fresh fish, to tinned tuna and sandwiches. “Using eco labels is a positive solution. It is not telling a consumer they can’t do something or stop doing things. But it is saying they can do it with confidence.” So it seems that eco labels are here for the long haul – which is no bad thing. This market is likely to develop and grow as new issues gain prominence and new labels need to be developed to reflect the action being taken. One thing we can be
certain of is that retailers and manufacturers will continue to work hard to drive down the environmental impact of their products, which may not always be reflected in the labelling.
Energy labels are required under EU law
Sainbury’s uses a range of eco labels
JUNE 2013 | RETAIL ENVIRONMENT 51
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