Watsons leverages online and offline network to push sustainable products

Watsons has strengthened its sustainable product offerings by leveraging its offline plus online (O+O) retail strategy to meet the increasing demand from customers across the region for more environmentally-friendly products.

The business has launched over 1,600 sustainable products both in stores and online as a result of a strengthened collaboration with global supplier partners such as Beiersdorf, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Kao, L’Oréal, Procter & Gamble, Reckitt, Shiseido and Unilever. To help customers better navigate the online and brick-and-mortar stores, these products are easily identified as the retailer has established the Sustainable Choices section, so customers can quickly locate the products that best suit their needs.

“Many customers started to rethink their priorities due to the pandemic and they’re very much aware of the impact their choices have on the environment and society. We’ve been working closely with our strategic supplier partners to offer a wide range of Sustainable Choices products – everything from skincare to shampoo – making it easier for customers to make purchase decisions that contribute to a better world for all," said Malina Ngai, CEO of A.S. Watson (Asia & Europe). 

She added, "Our O+O retail strategy enables us to draw on our scale and technology as we develop new initiatives. A Sustainable Choices section was soft launched earlier this year, the sales of some products have already soared by up to 300%. This indicates clearly that customers are looking for sustainable products, hence it’s our mission to make them available and easy to browse for them. Sustainable Choices products can now be found with just a click. We hope that by making it easier to choose wisely, more customers will be motivated to do the right things, for themselves and for the planet."

The company has also worked on other sustainability-related initiatives across the region. For example, in Hong Kong, it has launched the “Plastic Reborn” campaign with P&G, a three-year programme which is aimed at rewarding customers with gifts in return for bringing in empty personal care plastic bottles from any brand for recycling. About 3,400kg of plastic has been recycled since February. 

In China, the company has teamed up with Unilever to promote the launch of the Dove Botanical skincare range, telling the story behind the products’ ingredients both in stores and online to encourage take-up of clean beauty.

“The launch of Sustainable Choices reflects the strength of our collaboration with supplier partners and our connectivity with consumers. We understand that our responsibilities go beyond the health and beauty products we provide so we’re committed to using our influence to inspire behavioural change that leads to a more sustainable world," said Ngai. 

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