A sustainability scale is now listed directly on the packaging of all Migros brands, rating the various dimensions of sustainability such as animal welfare or climate with 1 to 5 stars. Customers can see at first glance whether the product meets their requirements.
“We are not 100% sustainable. But 100% transparent”. With this motto, Swiss retailer Migros will evaluate all products of its around 250 own brands in the most important dimensions of sustainability. This will make it immediately clear to customers that an M-Classic chicken, for example, scores well in animal welfare but less so in climate. The new M-Check makes this contradiction transparent to customers.
A compass in the sustainability jungle
The sustainability scale works like a hotel rating: if the product gets five stars in animal welfare, for example, it does very well; if it only gets one star, there is a lot of potential for improvement. For this purpose, up to ten different factors are assessed and rated, including outdoor exercise, housing, the use of medication or transport.
The entire life cycle assessment of the product is included in the climate calculation: From cultivation to the use of water and fertiliser, to transport and packaging. The star rating is based on the entire Migros product range. A piece of beef therefore never achieves more than one star in climate because of the high greenhouse gas emissions compared to a cucumber.
The evaluation system is based on scientific principles and was developed for Migros by renowned partners. All assessment criteria can be viewed transparently online.
Animal products such as meat and milk will be the first to receive the M-Check. The areas of animal welfare and climate will be assessed. Other dimensions of sustainability will be added later.
By 2025, all Migros own brands – including non-food – will be equipped with the new M-Check. This corresponds to around 80 percent of the entire Migros range.
Image credit: Migros
