Watsons, the leading health, wellness, and beauty retailer, is proud to announce the grand opening of its first greener store in San Pedro, Laguna. This milestone is a testament to Watsons’ steadfast commitment to sustainability, setting a new standard for a more eco-friendly retail in the Philippines.

Sustainable Elements of a Greener SThe Watsons Greener Store is a pioneering project, utilizing renewable energy, sustainable store materials, and energy-efficient appliances. The store’s materials and fixtures adhere to greener building standards, earning certification from Pi Energy Inc. This ensures that the store’s operations align with environmental standards, significantly reducing its carbon footprint.

Sustainable Elements of a Greener Store :

Renewable Energy Sources: The store is primarily powered by solar energy, exemplifying Watsons’ dedication to minimizing its environmental impact through sustainable energy solutions. By utilizing solar panels, the store saves approximately 7.5 tons of CO2 emissions annually, equivalent to the CO2 absorption of around 377 trees annually.

The Watsons Greener Store uses sustainable materials and fixtures with no plastic components and utilizes energy-efficient lighting and appliances, reducing environmental impact.

Sustainable In-store Materials & Fixtures: Marketing materials, including signages and displays, are crafted from Solidus material instead of Sintra board containing PVC or plastic reducing environmental impact. Additionally, all marketing materials are made from recycled paper and boards with FSC® certification, ensuring they originate from responsibly managed forests. The store also utilizes wood for its display racks and fixtures, further enhancing its commitment to sustainability.

Energy-Efficient Appliances: The store uses LED lights that do not contain toxic materials, are 100% recyclable, and reduce energy consumption by up to a third. Additionally, the store utilizes inverter air conditioners and refrigerators that consume 40% less energy than conventional units.

Sustainable Choices Products: Watsons offers a wide range of sustainable choices products that advocate Clean Beauty, Better Ingredients, Refill Packs & Better Packaging from responsibly- sourced materials. 

Refill Station: Watsons introduces the first refill station outside Metro Manila, customers can conveniently replenish their Naturals by Watsons bottles with their favorite body wash and shampoo variants. The store also sells refillable bottles with screw caps, allowing customers to save up to 40% compared to standard purchases.

Waste Minimization Initiatives: The store encourages customers to bring reusable shopping bags and actively promotes waste reduction, segregation, and recycling.

The store opening was attended by Jin P. Jimenez, Director for Store Operations, Alisandrea Coloma, Senior Manager for Sustainability alongside local government officials Hon. Ramil Hernandez, Governor of the Province of Laguna, and Hon. Mayor Art Francis Mercado of San Pedro, Laguna. Their presence underscores the collaborative effort between Watsons and the local community to promote sustainable development in the province. 

“Today, we proudly inaugurate the first Watsons Greener Store in San Pedro, Laguna, this store sets a new standard in sustainable retailing, embodying our dedication to fostering a vibrant culture of sustainability in every facet of our operations. By empowering our customers to embrace sustainable products and practices, we aim to make a meaningful impact on our planet,” said Jin P. Jimenez, Director for Store Operations.

The opening of Watsons Greener Store marks a significant shift towards sustainable practices in the retail industry, making sustainability a more achievable goal for everyday shoppers. Watsons aims to minimize waste and empower customers to make eco-conscious choices, contributing to a healthier planet. By integrating sustainability into its operations, Watsons reduces its environmental footprint and inspires customers to adopt greener lifestyles. This commitment reflects Watsons’ broader mission to foster a healthier planet while empowering individuals to make informed, sustainable choices.

For more information about the Watsons Greener Store and its sustainability initiatives, follow   @watsonsph on Instagram, like @WatsonsPH on Facebook, and follow @watsonsphilippines on TikTok.

Original Article: https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/580406/watsons-continues-to-champion-sustainable-retailing-in-the-philippines-with-the-opening-of-1st-greener-store-in-san-pedro-laguna

Asda is serving beer on tap to customers in a trial that marks a first for a UK supermarket chain.

Eco-conscious drinkers will be able to take home reusable containers of beer poured fresh from the tap instead of picking up cans and bottles from shelves under the pilot scheme.

Visitors to Asda’s Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, superstore can choose from a list of 12 beers and ciders and have a member of staff pour their preferred option into either a one- or two-litre glass container to be taken away and consumed at home.

Customers can keep the containers, bring them back to be refilled or return them, at which point a deposit will be refunded.

If the pilot scheme proves successful Asda said it would consider selling draught beer at other stores across the UK from next year.

The brews on offer will be rotated, with “unusual beers from smaller and local breweries” showcased through the initiative. Craft on Draft, a specialist retailer of craft beers and ciders, will work in partnership with the supermarket to choose and get the beers on the shop floor. Asda said it had brought the business on board with the goal of offering shoppers lesser-known beers that aren’t widely available in other retailers, or in pubs.

The draught beer venture comes in the wake of a series of “refill zone” schemes at Asda, and elsewhere, and amid persistent consumer demand for brands and retailers to eliminate unnecessary packaging.

This summer Asda announced plans to make packaging-free shopping available at more of its stores after the introduction of a trial “refill zone” in a Leeds branch proved popular.

The initiative allows customers to do away with single-use plastic by inviting them to fill their own reusable containers with everyday groceries including cereal, pasta, laundry detergent and pet food. Demand for loose produce was so great that sales of some goods exceeded those of packaged items in some categories, Asda said of the original trial.

Waitrose was the first of the major supermarket chains to test with packaging-free areas in store, in 2019, and has been credited with helping to popularise “refill culture” in the UK.

While glass beer bottles and aluminum cans are widely recycled, environmental experts point out that it still requires energy to produce them in the first place, and their transportation also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.

Asda spokesman Matt Harrison said of the trial: “The Craft on Draft team’s expertise in the hospitality industry will bring a range of drinks to our store that are unlikely to be found elsewhere and that complement our strong existing beers, wines and spirits offer.

“The refillable element of the trial gives customers the chance to pick up a new tipple and make a small change to help them shop more sustainably in our Milton Keynes store.”

Original Article : https://inews.co.uk/news/consumer/sustainable-shopping-asda-beer-on-tap-supermarkets-refill-zones-1316789