Are retailers heading towards a zero plastic strategy ?

Plastic is derived from fossil fuels and often made for a single use. It ends up in landfills and in all oceans, infiltrating all living creatures (including us) in the form of tiny “micro” particles. In 2018, plastic is no longer fantastic. In 2018, retailers are exploring plastic elimination in their supply chain.
Enjoy this article for free while you’re in your trial period
You have access to our content for 15 days

The ecological pressures seem less critical than protection of very slim margins for many retailers, who are facing the fierce competition of well-funded rivals such as Amazon, Ocado, Alibaba, JD and Google. Businesses are preoccupied with survival, redesigning their entire processes throughout all facets of omnichannel shopping. However, investing in alternatives and plastic reduction is good for business. As the global population nearly tripled in 70 years (from 2.6 billion in 1950 to 7.6 billion in 2017), single-use disposable plastic has become so widespread that collection and potential recycling is completely unrealistic. Now present in every ocean and land, plastic waste infiltrates all food chains and passes into all living organisms. Single-use products (Plastic bottles, yoghurt pots, etc.) are at the heart of the debate, as they can be recycled only a small number of times (unlike glass, recyclable to infinity) and their safety is questioned, with 93% of bottled water containing micro-particles of plastic.

Do you have information to share with us?
Our other services
mind Research
Strategic Intelligence: Tailored research and market analysis services to power your insights and back your strategic decisions.
See more
mind Days
Networking & Events: Half-day conferences covering key industry topics and open to the entire ecosystem.
See more
What you absolutely must read this week
The essential content of the week selected by the editorial team.
See all
How retailers are reinventing the checkout
As pressure on household budgets continues, new payment methods including account-to-account (A2A) instant payments, Wero, Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL), loyalty points and cashback, are gaining...
2 November 2026
Julien Cailleau, Oney: “With 3 retailers, we are testing the use of Valiuz data to streamline financing approvals”
Against a backdrop of growing pressure on household budgets, the European CCD2 Directive coming into force and a new legal framework for assisted purchasing journeys, Oney is stepping up an...
29 October 2026
Advantail signs with Formality to streamline commercial lease management
Amid an ownership shake-up following its acquisition by Evoriel, shopping centre operator Advantail has signed with Formality to digitise the management of commercial leases and contracts across...
US retailers divided over the rise of autonomous shopping agents
In the US, Gap, Walmart, Best Buy, Amazon and eBay are taking very different approaches to agentic commerce. While TV shopping giants QVC and HSN see these new intermediaries as an opportunity to...
Most viewed articles of the month on mind Retail
What readers clicked on the most last month.
What readers clicked on the most last month.
1
Eric Meulien, Al Futtaim: “The next step in our roadmap is to replace the in-store POS system”
Operating in 18 countries and managing brands such as Ikea, Zara and Marks & Spencer, Emirati group Al-Futtaim (2025 revenue: US$9.7 billion, up by 6%) has a unique vantage point from which to...
2
Marketplaces: How Orange and Virgin Australia reinvent their value creation models
Looking to turn their audience into a commercial platform without having to carry the risk of holding stock, new verticals are entering the marketplace space, with new models designed to enhance...
8 October 2026
3
How Maison A.Constant built a unified customer database with n8n
Eager to bring together customer data and improve data accuracy, jewellery and watch retailer Maison A.Constant built its own Single Customer Repository (SCR) using n8n, an orchestration platform...
4
Cashback: Younited secures an exclusive contract with Bouygues Telecom
Following Orange and the launch of a marketplace, Bouygues Telecom is strengthening a customer loyalty strategy by focusing on purchasing power with a new cashback offer. For French fintech...
16 October 2026