The Sustainability Conundrum

If you were to pick the buzzword for the bar industry in 2019, “sustainability” would probably be top of the list. Although it has been lurking on the periphery for a few years now, in the last twelve months it has really begun to take hold and have an impact on how the industry operates.

Far beyond the demonisation of plastic straws, many independent bars are now looking for other innovative ways to up their environmental credibility – whether that be reusing citrus peels for syrups, or committing to only sourcing ingredients produced within a 10-mile radius of the bar.

The generalised view is that local equals sustainable – in fact for many people those adjectives are almost interchangeable. Of course, there is more to sustainability than a small carbon footprint, and things like production method, ingredient-sourcing and packaging should all be taken into consideration. However, I would argue that this is a step in the right direction for the public perception of pro-environmental behaviour.

The most pressing question seems to be, what are the next steps for big distributors who are faced with a growing consumer desire for all things “local”?

Many large brands and companies continue to strive to be more eco-conscious, but the fact of the matter is while they continue to export and ship their products all over the world, the environmental conversation is pretty hard to maintain.

This article was written by Sophie Harris, Account Executive