Retailers once considered sustainability a costly trend that would soon be forgotten. However, it is now being recognised as a competitive advantage that can drive growth. The principle of sustainability is based on three pillars: Economy, Society, and Environment. The Economy pillar focuses on meeting people’s needs while ensuring that their quality of life is not compromised. It also encourages organisations to follow sustainability guidelines beyond the legal requirements. The Society pillar is concerned with social policies, urban development, company and organisation performance, product design, and lifecycle. Finally, the Environment pillar is focused on studying and safeguarding the ecosystems, air quality, integrity, and sustainability of our natural resources.

In this paper, Daymon explores the impact of COVID-19 on sustainability and examines each pillar with examples of key initiatives taken by retailers and brands. The report highlights the industry’s main challenges and suggests actions that should be taken to achieve sustainability goals, specifically in relation to Food Waste, Remove, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Packaging Reformulation.