John Lewis takes aim at ‘throwaway’ culture in retail sector

John Lewis has promised £1m to deal with the retail industry’s “throwaway” society. 

The staff-owned company is calling on teachers, charities and tiny firms to pitch suggestions to support lower squander and pollution throughout foods, textiles and family solutions. 

It will give grants amongst £150,000 and £300,000 to the most progressive suggestions to obstacle the industry’s “outdated make/use/toss away” design. John Lewis lifted the fund from revenue of 10p plastic bags over a two-yr time period.

Marija Rompani of John Lewis explained: “We live in a world of finite elements and we have to have to start out safeguarding them prior to it is far too late.

“This is why we’re notably seeking for tasks that are regenerative and can do away with squander or pollution from the layout stage and in the end safeguard character.”

John Lewis is performing with Hubbub, a charity and social organization that focuses on sustainability.

The retailer explained the overall removal of one use carrier bags would probably reduce the availability of revenues for identical money in the long term, “but we will normally be seeking for techniques to aid innovation”.

In Could, John Lewis outlets in Cheltenham, Kingston and Leeds began trialling the removal of one use plastic carrier bags.

In 2019 it released a identical £1m fund to reduce plastic squander and it picked five winners from around a hundred and fifty purposes.

They involved a project that employed mussels to support stem the move of microplastics from polluted estuaries and coastal h2o.

 Any conclusions from John Lewis’ “Circular Foreseeable future Fund” will be shared with the industry.