Eco-shops on the increase

Eco-shops dealing with environmental products (ECO goods) have been increasing in stores that deal with environmentally friendly products. Especially after the great East Japan earthquake four years ago, new trends are being formed in addition to the importance of life, safety and security of food, and other themes.

It is a so-called "eco-shop" targeted at Green consumer (green consumer). The number of stores in the Eco shop spreads. In order to realize a prosperous and sustainable society of the future generations of the country and the developing countries, the rise of the Gree consumer, which is the basis of product selection, such as environmental preservation, importance of life, food safety and security, etc., when purchasing goods More and more manufacturers and retailers are making products that are considerate of them. The Pioneer was the Co-op and the retailer who treated the food safety as an added value to the farm products of organic cultivation. On the other hand, there was a form of distribution specializing in environmentally conscious products (eco-products) of daily necessities from among the civic group which valued products with low environmental impact from the viewpoint of environmental conservation.

We call this eco-shop a specialty eco-store that deals with many eco-friendly products. A wide range of items. It is not limited to the farm products of organic cultivation now, and the processed food which does not use the additive which harms the health has come to circulate widely besides the raw material and the method. In addition to daily necessities, a wide range of eco-products are produced, including toothbrushes using natural materials, clothing made from organic cotton materials, clothes using recycled resources such as PET bottles, stationery using recycled materials, and interior products that do not contain harmful chemical substances. These eco-products are in addition to the eco-shop, recently in department stores and supermarkets. With the growing interest in health and safety since the great East Japan earthquake, sales of such eco-products are also growing, and we are expected to grow in both manufacturing and distribution. In the department stores and supermarkets, we have partnered with manufacturers to actively develop our own environmental brand products. Along with the penetration of these eco-products, small eco-shops tend to specialize in products in specific fields and deal with more distinctive products. We are also dealing with eco-products as one of the differentiation strategies in the communication sales that are directly connected to the consumer. In addition, the distribution of alter-trade, which specializes in products made in developing countries, was also created, and the eco-commodity market began to attract attention as a new market.