The German drugstore chain dm presented its new "Mission Future-Proofing" alongside its first sustainability report. The company has outlined its desire to play a pioneering role in the retail sector in addressing social, cultural and ecological concerns. One pillar of the strategy will be the development of the company's private label products.

"Pro Climate" Begins With a Scientific Approach

According to the sustainability goals it has presented, the company plans to make its private label products more environmentally neutral. The company dm states that it has taken the first step with the development of its new "Pro Climate" range. These products are not only climate-neutral but also environmentally neutral for the first time. Dm teamed up with TU Berlin and their manufacturing partners to create a range of products whose environmental impact was analysed and reduced from the outset.

"Unlike climate-neutral products, which merely offset CO2 emissions, we consider the impacts resulting from a product's entire lifecycle in terms of the five environmental categories (climate change/CO2, eutrophication, acidification, summer smog, ozone depletion)," explains Prof Dr Matthias Finkbeiner from TU Berlin, outlining this scientific approach. "We reduce the environmental impact as much as possible by optimising manufacturing processes, ingredients and packaging. Dm wants to further expand the share of more sustainable products in its assortment overall, more clearly label them on the shelves and in the online shop, and in doing so promote more conscious consumption.

Recycling to Become an Integral Factor for Packaging

The company is also striving to enhance the sustainability of its private label packaging. For example, 90 per cent of non-food plastic product packaging should contain at least 30 per cent recycled material by 2025; 90 per cent of the packaging for dm private label products should be recyclable by 2025; and at least 70 per cent of the packaging material used by dm brands should be capable of being processed into a high-quality recycled material by 2025, the retail chain has stated.

Source, photo: dm