CIRCULARITY

CREATING POSITIVE CHANGE

through circular thinking

The pandemic has spotlighted our collective impact on the environment, and we have become more conscious of how to live and work more sustainably. However, it’s not just up to individuals to make positive changes; businesses must become major catalysts to create sustained momentum. SPAR has chosen the phrase “My SPAR, Our Tomorrow” as a public commitment to the future of our brand and our planet. We can no longer continue taking and consuming finite resources to make products and then dispose of them at their end of life.

One of the most positive eco-movements in the last few years has been the rise of the circular economy mindset across industries, most recently, the retail industry. The trigger for this growth can be attributed to several factors. One of the most significant factors is rapid urban and population growth, with the highest recorded percentage of people now living in poverty. Combined with the rise of the negative impact of fast fashion and other FMCG goods, the factors have all added more pressure on our environment and the need for circular economies.

To help harness this circular mindset effectively, the 17 Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) from the United Nations have been integrated into SPAR Group’s circular system. As part of this, the SPAR Group is committed to procuring its products responsibly and sustainably to promote ethical and sustainable business practices, protect our natural environment and ensure that local procurement is given priority.

DELIVERING CHANGE THROUGH KEY PARTNERSHIPS

The goals don’t end there: the SPAR Group aims to become a retail pioneer within this movement. It has harnessed a two-pronged strategy to achieve this. Firstly, the SPAR Group is wholeheartedly committed to understanding and aligning its business practices to the recent

In a circular economy, upstream innovation means that rather than working out how to deal with a pile of waste, we work out how to prevent the waste from being created in the first place.

– Ellen Macarthur

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations and, secondly, the Group has partnered with leading global and local organisations. The SPAR Group has aligned with the SA Plastics Pact FSC, Rainforest Alliance, SASSI and RSPO, to name a few.

These partnerships inspire and empower the SPAR Group to act on upstream innovation to achieve a circular economy, especially within key target areas such as delivering effective and practical solutions to reduce plastic waste. It’s not limited to overhauling packaging but also the product and the business model. The creative challenge is to identify new ways of delivering value to customers while designing out waste.

However, that’s just part of the SPAR Group’s circular system: a true sustainability strategy must also support and uplift local communities. As a result, one of the primary focuses is on empowering local businesses by supporting local producers and small-scale farmers.

UNLOCKING SOLUTIONS THROUGH COLLABORATION

To help solve this challenge, the SPAR Group is focused on improving the communication and resource flow from research and development, packaging design, sustainability, as well as the brand and marketing teams.

THREE EXAMPLES OF RETAIL INNOVATION

These key partnerships and close collaborations have resulted in several ground-breaking sustainability projects and circular concepts.

1. SPAR milk bottle caps

Inspired by SA Plastics’ pact to rethink the design of our products, the SPAR Group is now collaborating with Johan Conradie from Myplas. This has resulted in SPAR being one of the first brand owners to change its milk bottle caps from coloured versions to white. This enables a more streamlined and cost-effective recycling process from the waste pickers and the recycling plant.

2. 100% recycled carrier bags

We at SPAR are becoming more mindful of like-minded partners who will support our circular thinking. Tuffy, Transpaco, Leader, Flexpak and Premier plastics are some of the contributing partners who have made this ecoconscious carrier bag possible.

SPAR plastic bags are 100% recyclable and are made from 100% recycled plastic material with a minimum of 70% post-consumer waste (and have been since 2018). This results in 4 000 tonnes of plastic waste diverted from landfills every year. By utilising this method of bag production, there is a 40% reduction in the carbon footprint.

3. Rural hubs

This award-winning initiative enables greater sustainability for small-scale farmers by supporting and empowering them nationally and by growing local businesses. Thanks to a collaborative approach with a range of stakeholders, this initiative is beginning to enjoy measurable success and the farmers are unlocking tangible and substantial benefits.

SPAR’s 100% recycled plastic bags have resulted in 4 000 TONNES

of used plastic being diverted from landfills annually.

The SPAR Group is committed to procuring its products responsibly and sustainably to promote ethical and sustainable business practices.

IGNITING CHANGE NOW FOR FUTURE REWARD

These innovations are small steps in SPAR Group’s sustainability journey, but they inspire more change within our people, trading partners, and suppliers. If harnessed correctly, circular thinking has the potential to solve sustainability goals while offering a commercial return on investment and, crucially, offering customers better value too.

This initiative is part of our journey to create a better future for all and reduce our carbon footprint!

Scan the QR code to find out more about circular systems and sustainability or visit spar.co.za/About-SPAR/Sustainability