29.09.2017

#nofilter: Alko's Eko

The symbol for organic products has existed in Alko’s product information already since 2007. In past few years the weight of environmental issues in any purchases has grown. Simultaneously, customers have missed even more diverse environmental information to support their purchase choices. Drinks producers, on the other hand, have missed a channel via which Alko’s customers could be receive information about their sustainability in an easy manner.

Environmental certificates of consumer goods will be more and more relevant choice criteria in the future; according to some estimates they will even become parallel to product brands in consumers’ perceptions. By the broadened product eco information we in Alko want to simplify how our customer can find products into which the producer has invested for sustainable development. For example, we have actually had lighter glass wine bottles in the assortment since 2013 but before now we have not had a way to help our customers to find them. Similarly, products that have earned an eco certification in their country of origin have been in the assortment for years. Marking the products that are suitable for vegans has been actively requested for and now we have implemented it. In the beginning of our “Eko” project we asked our customer panel’s feedback and opinions about our plans for these product markings and the symbols that were drafted for them. That input was used to finalize the symbols and also to develop a new product search filter for Alko’s webstore. Now, eco attributes can be used in the webstore more effectively and easily than the previous two attributes for organic and biodynamic. The eco product information being launched now in October can also be flexibly expanded. In the future there will likely be still more environmental product information that our customers would think useful.

When browsing the “Eko” product information it is good to keep in mind that they do not tell –nor were they intended to tell – about the environmental footprint of product categories or individual products or about any absolute environmental impacts. Neither the order in which the “Eko” information and symbols are listed in Alko’s store communications and other media is an order of importance or ranking, but the basis is an evaluation of relevance and customer’s need in each given context. Bringing the “Eko” product information into the stores doesn’t as such change the eco-friendliness of our store chain. Yet, what kind of products we have in our assortment and how the interest and demand of our customers evolves does have an effect in our overall environmental impact.

Does an eco symbol have an effect on your choice between otherwise similar products? You are welcome to join discussion in Alko’s Twitter @Alko_Sustain.

#nofilter

Rum – deliciously sugary sweet, with a challenging supply chain

Here in Finland, we often associate rum with hot drinks to warm you up on winter days. However, rum has its roots far from the snowy north – all the way back in the 15th-century Caribbean. At that time, rum was believed to have healing properties. It was consumed as a cure for tropical diseases. It has since been discovered that rum actually has the opposite effect – it is made from sugar cane, which is cultivated in conditions that are now known to cause CKDnT (Chronic Kidney Disease of undetermined causes) in plantation workers.

Young people face conflicting pressures from different alcohol cultures

Families that move to Finland from different cultural and language backgrounds often run into the alcohol culture and habits of Finns – especially through the young members of the family – which may differ radically from the habits and customs of the parents.

A mother with intoxicant abuse problems needs to be supported rather than blamed

Intoxicant use during motherhood is an emotionally volatile issue – it is often considered reprehensible for a mother to abuse intoxicants. For this reason, the threshold for seeking assistance can be high, even though it is crucially important for both the expectant mother and new child to get help.

Alko at the Anti-substance Abuse Days – threat or opportunity?

This year, Alko decided to run its own stand at the Anti-substance Abuse Days to raise awareness of an important theme – FASD – in collaboration with the Finnish Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. However, here at Alko, the idea of participating did make us think. Can Alko promote FASD awareness in the way we’d like? Will taking part be a threat or an opportunity?

Green choices for wine shopping

Concerns over the state of our planet have made many of us think about how we can be greener in our consumption choices. For instance, there has been much discussion about the impact of food choices on the environment. In addition to making sustainable choices for a dinner party, you can also be environmentally friendly in your wine picks. The next time you go shopping for festive beverages, take this three-point checklist with you.

A good home is the best intoxicant education

No fewer than 47% of young people think that the desire for a healthy lifestyle reduces interest in drinking alcohol.

Alcohol seeps into daily life without you noticing

I spent last year watching the world through “alcohol-aware glasses.” I examined how people use alcohol, how they talk about it and how they illustrate it.

If they start again

As the holidays approach, the children and young people’s helpline often receives calls from children whose Christmas spirit is rather low.

Annoyed to buy a plastic bag?

I’m going shopping and realize midway that I’ve forgotten my shopper despite all the good intentions. At the checkout counter I buy a plastic bag even though it is annoying. Sounds familiar?

Alcohol continues to play a large role in student culture

Although alcohol consumption has declined among young people since the turn of the millennium, many student events still revolve around alcohol.

#nofilter: Is it possible to talk about alcohol responsibly?

It is fairly safe to say that alcohol has always been a contentious issue in Finland. The debate has been heated at times especially in recent years when alcohol laws have come under scrutiny.

Grilled fish is delicious – and it’s good for the Baltic Sea, too

Due to the record-breaking heat of the summer, an unwelcome nuisance has once again washed up on our shores: blue-green algae that prevent swimming. The Baltic Sea is also threatened by garbage pollution. Here are a few small daily acts each of us can do to make our waters cleaner.