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- The Consumer Goods Forum hosted industry leaders to discuss solutions to key sustainability and health challenges at The Sustainable Retail Summit in London this week.
- Talks included Tesco Group CEO, Ken Murphy, and Unilever CEO, Hein Schumacher, explaining their companies’ routes towards net zero and the importance of collaboration.
- Over 200 senior leaders attended, with speakers from companies including Ahold Delhaize, Carrefour, Danone, John Lewis Partnership, Mondelēz International, PepsiCo, Sainsbury’s and Walmart.
London, 29 January 2025: From how to create profitable refill systems for food and cosmetics, to improvements to supply chains to tackle deforestation, hundreds of consumer goods experts from around the world came together for a series of lively discussions over the past two days at The Consumer Goods Forum’s Sustainable Retail Summit (SRS). Through speeches, panel discussions and one-to-one conversations, leaders from influential global brands and retailers shared insights and aspirations for the years ahead.
In a keynote discussion, Tesco‘s Group CEO, Ken Murphy, and Unilever’s CEO, Hein Schumacher, agreed about the importance of having a clearly articulated roadmap, with costed, time-bound and defined goals along the way to 2050, including short-term commitments and plans. Murphy said:
“You can’t afford to lose sight of your commitments to each of your stakeholders. And the planet is very clearly integrated into those commitments. It doesn’t sit alongside. It’s not a nice to do.”
They also discussed the importance of cooperation and working in partnership, both with other leading companies through the CGF and with small and innovative SMEs. Schumacher said:
“Collaboration is key to systemic change. And you cannot achieve your goals if you don’t drive systemic change.”
Wai-Chan Chan, Managing Director of The Consumer Goods Forum, said:
“Our world is fast-changing: we can’t just keep up – we need to stay ahead. This year’s SRS underscores the urgent need for dynamic efforts to make an impact for better lives through better business. We’ve already seen strong momentum and progress through our Coalitions on key challenges like net zero, deforestation and plastic waste. We need to future-proof our industry by continuing to adapt to consumers’ need, policy change and the latest technology. We are all in this together and collaboration is the key to driving solutions.”
With discussions at the conference ranging from consumer behaviour change to halving the environmental impacts of UK shopping baskets, senior leaders spoke about a range of issues, including:
- Transforming the food system through net zero pathways
- Supply chain decarbonisation
- Rethinking sustainability strategies
- Sustainable packaging
- Reuse and refill models
- Integrating human rights into the climate transition
- Retailer decarbonisation
- Climate and nature tech
- Food waste
- Creating a Circular Carbon Economy
Participants were left galvanised to act and push for ever more sustainable retail. As Stuart Chidley, Co-Founder of Beauty Kitchen and Reposit, told a roomful of industry leaders:
“If you’re not sure who in your organisation or industry will drive the change, it’s you. Take responsibility and be the one to make it happen.”
The two days of discussions will be followed by a new Sustainability Discovery Tour Programme on 30 January. This will offer an on-the-ground look at innovative practices in action around London. From food waste management facilities to cutting-edge retail environments, the hands-on experience will demonstrate how ideas can be transformed into real-world projects, business models and programmes.
To find out more, visit Sustainable Retail Summit – The Consumer Goods Forum
About The Consumer Goods Forum
The Consumer Goods Forum (“CGF”) is a global, parity-based industry network that is driven by its members to encourage the global adoption of practices and standards that serves the consumer goods industry worldwide. It brings together the CEOs and senior management of some 400 retailers, manufacturers, service providers, and other stakeholders across 70 countries, and it reflects the diversity of the industry in geography, size, product category and format. Its member companies have combined sales of EUR 4.6 trillion and directly employ nearly 10 million people, with a further 90 million related jobs estimated along the value chain. It is governed by its Board of Directors, which comprises more than 55 manufacturer and retailer CEOs. For more information, please visit: www.theconsumergoodsforum.com.
