Environmentally-aware consumers don't just want to make the world a better place; the majority (96%) feel their behaviour and purchase choices can fuel real change.
Product provenance plays a significant part in this ethical shopping shift, with equal power to drive or diminish sales. Especially when it comes to small, frequent buys with a potentially high environmental impact, such as food. Scrutinising items to see where food comes from is an established habit for eight in ten (84%) consumers and 39% would switch to brands with more transparent labels.
To keep their place in consumer shopping baskets, brands must ensure products tell sustainable stories; allowing consumers to track supply chains from production to delivery.
Achieving this isn't as challenging as it seems. By leveraging the full force of big data, brands can shine a granular light on the exact path their produce takes.
More than a label
Demand for cleaner supply chains and more detailed product packaging isn’t going unnoticed. In Denmark, for instance, the government has announced plans to work with supermarkets on creating labels that explain the carbon footprint of food products, and calls for similar action in the UK are rising. The most obvious starting point: a QR code.
Using QR codes to access extra information isn’t new, but GeoSpock’s state-of-the-art spatial big data platform can utilise the digital barcodes to offer deeper provenance insight. Instead of simply enabling consumers to check brand credentials – such as safety certificates and distribution licences – QR codes could open apps that provide visualisations of product journeys. Leveraging vast geospatial data, these route maps can show precise movement of shipments from source to store, and provide compelling proof of supply chain integrity.
Additionally, analysis of each delivery stage can also help generate a transparent view of environmental impact; covering how far products have travelled, as well as the emissions produced by every vehicle or vessel involved in the transportation process.
The route to a greener future
Looking ahead, geospatial data also presents an opportunity for brands to optimise operations. For example, by evaluating driver routes against delivery data – including pick-up windows and commit fulfilment times – logistics tools can define which routes will keep both costs and emissions low. In this way, brands will not only initiate changes that benefit the planet and their bottom line, but also gain data they can use to demonstrate their eco commitment.
With ethical product revenues now tipping £83 billion in the UK alone, it’s clear environmental concern is translating into decisive shopping action. Consumers want their purchases to make a difference and they are determined to choose brands that support ethical stories with hard evidence of their eco-commitment, not tall tales.
Contact us
To learn more about how the GeoSpock spatial big data platform can unlock insights in your data or to see a product demo, get in touch and a member of our team will contact you.