TRACEABILITY & THE ETHICALLY DRIVEN CONSUMER Over the past few years we’ve seen an evolution in the way that food and drink brands communicate their sustainability credentials to consumers. Driven by the ‘ethically focused’ consumer, brands are increasingly recognising the need to advance their sustainability initiatives.
66%
OF GLOBAL CONSUMERS ARE WILLING TO PAY MORE FOR PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED WITH THE ENVIRONMENT IN MIND.
£14 BILLION UK ETHICAL SPENDING GREW MORE THAN EVER IN 2019, WITH A TOTAL MARKET WORTH OF £14 BILLION.*
But meeting this consumer demand for more transparency requires more than marketing ethical claims. Some brands are taking this demand for transparency one step further, by allowing consumers to trace a product's journey through the supply chain — from where the beans are grown, to the people who grew them — showcasing these ethical claims in a tangible way and helping to build all-important trust between brand and consumer. This helps to cultivate a relationship that encourages loyalty and, ultimately, drives sales. The demand for this level of traceability among ethically driven consumers has seen coffee brands become far more transparent about their supply chains and responsible sourcing practices to meet this need.
WHAT DO CONSUMERS WANT TO TRACE? • T he origin of their coffee, down to the region, type of beans, their varietals, and specific farmers and growers that produce the beans and their certifications. • H ow producers are treated ethically. • W hat the total supply chain looks like and who’s involved. • H ow all of this information was traced, and what the process is for collecting it.
HOW IS THIS DONE? Using trusted third-party software, brands can ‘map’ the end-to-end coffee supply chain using data uploaded by participants at each stage of the process, with the support of industry groups that provide regulation throughout the chain. This data is then fed into the brand’s chosen platform and can be viewed by the customer via an app or website after scanning or entering a code on the back of a bag of coffee (or any other product ). A great example of traceability in action is the new Starbucks® Digital Traceability tool, which transforms each bag of coffee beans into a ‘digital passport,’ taking coffee lovers on a virtual expedition around the world to explore where their coffee comes from. Along the way, they’ll meet the farmers, roasters and baristas that make each cup possible. Offering this level of traceability for coffee not only meets these ethically driven consumer needs but helps them to truly enjoy the coffee they’ve purchased, having been able to see for themselves that it’s been sourced responsibly. While traceability tools aren’t yet fully translatable from the consumer space into on-site cafés, they can provide a level of reassurance for operators looking to partner with brands in the foodservice space.
*2020 Retail Trend Report. Lightspeed UK, 2020.