Co-op influences climate change through store rebranding

As the UK makes arrangements for the COP26 Climate Change conference, taking place in Glasgow as of the 31st of October, companies are getting behind the event to promote the necessity for action against climate change. While the movement affects all companies in different ways, businesses are doing what they can to encourage sustainability. The recent rebranding of Co-op’s national stores and funeral homes captures the essence of COP26 in a creative way, but how does it support the cause? 

The main reason for the rebrand is engagement. The Co-op26 branding is an effort from the grocery store chain to encourage its customers to consider their environmental impact and keep up with the goings-on at COP26. Six of the company’s flagship stores have undergone external rebranding while the remainder of its network of 2,600 food stores and 830 funeral care homes will portray the same message through internal branding and marketing materials. The campaign is also inspired by Co-op’s latest partnership with Count Us In.

Who is Count Us In? 

The group is committed to inspiring the masses around the effects of climate change and what they can do to manage their carbon emissions. The group came up with the idea of 16 steps for individuals to drastically reduce their carbon footprints and echo these principles to their peers. 

According to Steve Murrells, Chief Executive Officer at The Co-op Group, ‘Climate action needs to be truly accessible and inclusive in order to make the difference that’s so urgently needed. While the world looks to the COP26 conference to guide global leaders on how countries can accelerate change, we are shining a spotlight on how Co-op, our customers, members and colleagues can all play their part in the fight against climate change on a community level’. 

‘Through the launch of the Co-op26 campaign and our partnership with Count us In, we want to grab the attention of communities all across the UK to get them thinking, asking questions and taking action, as well as equip them to use their voice and successfully activate the ‘tell your politician’ pledge’. 

Ipsita Bhatia at Count Us In also says, ‘We are thrilled and proud to have Co-op as a partner of Count Us In. It’s incredibly powerful to see Co-op engaging their colleagues, members and customers, to take steps to reduce their own carbon pollution and add up to something bigger, together’. 

Co-op has also highlighted its own campaign for climate change with a 10-point action plan, which is part of the company’s pledge to significantly reduce the carbon emissions resulting from its products and operations. This fits with its overarching goal of becoming net-zero by 2040. It will also play its part in reducing food waste, by pushing it through its very own Food Share redistribution programme, alongside a partnership with the Hubbub charity to expand its network of community fridges across the country. 

For more sustainability insights, check out the latest issue of Sustainability Magazine. 

images