Waitrose ethics and sustainability lead Sam Ludlow-Taylor says that while customers “do really care” about sustainability, value is taking priority in today’s market.
Speaking at Retail Week x The Grocer Live 2025, Ludlow-Taylor said that when it comes to what customers are spending their money on, sustainability initiatives are not the main things in consideration.
“We have trialled various packaging production initiatives, and in our new store designs we really tried to talk to the consumer about this via buying loose fruits and vegetables and things like that,” she said. “One of the key points we learned was that the messages where we are really landing with our customers is when it comes to value and value-driven proposition as opposed to plastic reduction propositions.
“I think customers do care but it is maybe at the point of handing money over at the till, it is not the main thing that they’re considering.
“Customers do shop in a different way from how they used to. If you are going in and buying loose product, some people don’t think it is as convenient and you are also touching things other people have touched before so there is that food protection piece as well. It’s about customers feeling secure.”
With an eye to reducing packaging and waste, she added that waste is “just material in the wrong place” and said that to think about it like this is “really helpful” for businesses moving forward.
Speaking on the big debate panel at LIVE 2025, which looked at how retail must innovate to build a sustainable future, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners vice-president of public affairs and communications Julian Hunt told the audience he has “sleepless nights over the fact that “the world is on fire”.
He did, however, add that he thinks retail and FMCG more generally are making progress towards better ways of operating with sustainability in mind.
“Increasingly over recent years we’ve seen the industry stepping up to the plate and trying to deliver change to address some of the challenges that have been set out. I do see things happening but we all recognise the challenges that are there.”
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