It’s a new trend. Increasingly present in shop windows and displays, green products are decidedly booming. Be they purely fashionable marketing tools or the sign of a genuine movement, they have become increasingly present, or even essential to our everyday lives. In December, Synergia’s last 2008 breakfast debate took stock of this new wave of eco-responsible buying, within the premises of the IAE.

In his introduction, Fabrice le Vigoureux, both Director of the IAE and President of Synergia, noted, “the importance of training responsible managers”, and the morning debate continued with a closer look at these products, referred to as “green” and the associated wave of eco-responsible buying. “Over the past forty years, we have changed from being ego-consumers (I consume, therefore I am) to eco-consumers (I need to consume “sustainable”),” explained Jean-Yves Corbain and Mathias d’Estais from Capital Innovation. Based on the outskirts of Caen, the consultancy contemplates tomorrow’s products, from the idea to the shelf: “our work is based on observation and experimentation, focusing constantly on the consumer and relying on ingenious designers.”
And offering a clear definition is not as simple as it may seem. For Jean-Yves Corbin, “a green purchase is one that enables the consumer to limit the impact on his/her environment; polluting perhaps, but less than before.” Businesses now need to react in response to this new market demand. “They need to provide an attractive offer,” he added, “because simply more ecology is not enough; consumers are prepared to sacrifice neither quality nor comfort.” Mathias d’Estais went on to offer a number of examples of duly honourable products or habits such as avoiding leaving the tap running unnecessarily. “It can amount to an economy of 6 to 12m3 of water per year for a family of four.”

We all know that the movement is now a collective one and that the State is leading the way, rallying all of its energy, particularly since the launch of the Grenelle Environment Forum. And several Operational Committees (referred to as “Comops”) are currently contemplating a number of associated issues. “Comop 23 is appropriately entitled Consumption” noted Damien Grebot, an ADEME engineer. It deals with the labelling of some 90,000 products. Ecodesign involves a highly technical approach, taking into account the product’s life cycle.” Of course, there are already a number of eco-labels such as NF Environnement and AB for Agriculture Biologique (organic farming) but they have limitations. The aim of “Comop 23″ is to establish a regulatory obligation with regard to both products and their packaging by the 1st of January 2001. Although a database has already been compiled, further proposals and ideas are still welcome.

The supermarket distribution sector can’t afford to neglect the environmental issues to which consumers are becoming increasingly sensitive. Delphine Stroh, Sustainable Development Manager for Carrefour Hypermarchés France is an excellent example, since she is currently applying a “sustainable development” approach in her relationships with her suppliers. “By means of an auto-diagnosis of their current approach to the issue, the idea is to coach them and to help them implement and apply a genuine sustainable development policy,” she noted Launched in 2004, the initiative involves all of Carrefour’s food produce suppliers. “It’s not easy for them (80% are SMEs), for there are many criteria involved (49), split into 4 categories (management and business policy, economic performance, societal responsibility and environmental responsibility)” added Delphine Stroh. Over 1,200 suppliers were actively involved last year. “And feedback is extremely encouraging.” Already involved with the FIDH, the WWF and the ADEME (framework agreement signed in 2004, to be renewed late 2008), the Group is now looking to pursue and develop its approach. Its Carrefour Agir range, relying on existing quality labels, is but an initial response to its clients’ demand.

Delphine Stroh
Sustainable Development Manager
à Carrefour Hypermarchés France
Tél. : 01 58 63 45 47

Damien Grebot
ADEME engineer
Tél. : 02 31 46 89 62

Jean-Yves Corbin
Mathias d’Estais
Capital Innovation
Tél. : 02 31 08 32 50

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