These retailers are at the forefront of the sustainability movement.

1. H&M

Paperless receipts and digital rewards startup Flux has announced a partnership with H&M.

The deal marks the FinTech venture’s first foray into clothing and apparel and sees its solution available at over 300 H&M UK stores.

Flux and H&M customers will also be able to use their digital receipts to return items, either by scanning a barcode embedded in the receipt or by citing an ID to the cashier.

H&M has also installed an in-store system, called Looop, that turns old clothes into new ones.

“We are constantly exploring new technology and innovations to help transform the fashion industry as we are working to reduce the dependency on virgin resources,” says Pascal Brun, Head of Sustainability at H&M.

“Getting customers onboard is key to achieve real change and we are so excited to see what Looop will inspire.”

2. Whole Foods Market

Whole Foods Market has partnered with Infarm in the UK.

The latter will install its modular vertical farming units in two of the retailer’s London locations – High Street Kensington and Fulham – so shoppers can buy fresh produce that has been grown in-store. 

Infarm produce will also appear in Whole Foods Market stores in the capital at Piccadilly Circus, Stoke Newington, Richmond, Clapham Junction and Camden at the end of October and during November.

3. Very

Online retailer Very has launched a partnership with second-hand clothes specialist, Re-Fashion.

The aim is to encourage Very’s customers to give up their unwanted clothes for new owners, in order to reduce items being sent to landfill sites.

4. Burberry/IBM

As part of its Extreme Blue internship programme, IBM has collaborated with Burberry to develop a prototype system that aims to improve product traceability.

The theme for this year’s programme was “Sustainability in Fashion”. 

Partaking students were tasked with designing, developing, and testing an innovative new product for an IBM client. Over the past three months, they worked with Burberry’s digital experts to develop the prototype system.  

5. Homebase

Homebase has teamed with Smart Energy GB for the launch of what is pitched as the UK’s first green aisle.

The new space showcases energy efficient and environmentally friendly products. These are also available online.

It will initially be rolled out in five stores - Haringey, Selly Oak (Birmingham), Edinburgh, Leeds Moor Allerton, and Bridge End - with a further 132 stocking a smaller range of sustainable products, until the end of October. 

6. Asda

Asda has opened a new sustainability trial store in Middleton, a suburb of Leeds.

The grocery giant has partnered with the likes of PG Tips, Vimto, Kellogg’s, Radox and Persil for the initiative, which aims to help shoppers reduce, reuse and recycle with ease.

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