Climate neutrality is playing an increasingly important role in connection with nutrition. In the one_Interview, Stefan Magel, Divisional Director Retail Germany and COO PENNY, explains why PENNY wants to position itself as a green discounter on the occasion of the launch of the Climate Campaign 2022.
Stefan Magel
one: Mr Magel, PENNY has been in the public eye with its climate campaign since Monday. Why this topic and why now?
Stefan Magel: Climate change is undisputedly one of the most important issues of our time. Our customers have a clear expectation that we as a company will make a lasting and transparent commitment. We have to act decisively now if we want to leave a world worth living in for future generations. This is why we have also set ourselves extremely ambitious climate targets. Along the upstream value chains of our own-brand products, we will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the end of 2030 with an absolute reduction target of 15 per cent compared to 2019. We want to become climate-neutral at company level by 2040.
one: What role do customers play in this?
Stefan Magel: A decisive one in every respect. On average, we welcome more than two million customers every day. That's a huge lever in terms of sustainable consumption. We already have up to 30 different Food for Future items in our range. We have more and more fruit and vegetables that we sell unpackaged - our organic heroes are now completely unpackaged. These are all successes that we have achieved together with our customers. We save 3,000 tonnes of packaging material per year by consistently avoiding, reducing or improving packaging. By the end of 2030, we want to have 100 per cent environmentally friendly packaging for our own brands. A key factor here is that we make it as easy as possible for our customers to make a commitment to the climate. The climate campaign gets to the heart of this with the slogan "climate-light".
In recent surveys, more than three quarters of respondents state that climate neutrality will be the greatest challenge facing humanity in the coming years. When asked about the greatest need for action, 20 per cent cited nutrition and diet (industry: 62%; waste avoidance/recycling: 52%; transport 47%). PENNY is responding to this expectation and is placing climate protection at the centre of its communication and activities this year. As PENNY shows, climate protection is climate-friendly. The campaign was launched on Monday (10 January).
Accordingly, the first climate protection advert of the year calls on customers to buy regional and seasonal fruit and vegetables, unpackaged food - or food with optimised packaging - and vegan alternatives such as the umbrella brand Food for Future.
The campaign film can now be seen on the PENNY YouTube, Facebook and Instagram channels. The film is accompanied by other social media campaign assets, TV adverts for the Food for Future campaign products and print products in PENNY stores. A specially created campaign website (penny.de/klima) serves as an information hub throughout the year.
"PENNY positions itself as a discounter in the neighbourhood. That's why we always pick up on issues that affect our neighbours and customers. And protecting the climate concerns us all. That is why we have summarised all our marketing activities under the umbrella of "climate-light". In this way, we are creating targeted recognition and continuity. Nevertheless, we are at the beginning of a long journey in terms of climate protection," emphasises Marcus Haus, Head of Marketing at PENNY.
