ARLINGTON, Va. — The Food Marketing Institute on Monday announced the availability of a new guide to help supermarket category managers and buyers understand sustainability in the retail sector.
“Sustainability on the Shelves — A Guide for Category Managers” offers an overview of sustainability and provides a framework to help executives respond to demands for more sustainable products. The guide was developed by the FMI Sustainability Executive Committee, Five Winds International and Ecos Corporation with funding from the United Soybean Board.
“Consumer demand for more sustainable products is growing and category managers need to identify their company’s priorities in this area and integrate them into the decision-making process,” said Jeanne von Zastrow, senior director of industry relations and sustainability at FMI, in a statement. “Sustainability is not an exact science but it is a strategic decision.”
The guide is designed to help category managers identify sustainability issues in five categories:
Grocery — cereal, boxed goods, canned goods.
General Merchandise — home cleaning, personal care.
Fresh — meat, dairy, produce.
Beverage — bottled water, soda, alcohol, non-perishable juice, coffee, tea.
Seafood — fresh, frozen.
The document will be discussed at a workshop during the FMI/GMA Sustainability Summit Dec. 6-9 here. It is available www.fmi.org as a free download for FMI members, $150 for associate members and $300 for nonmembers.
