Sainsbury’s CEO Justin King believes that today’s customers demand ethical values along with value for money. He also insists that supermarkets are not responsible for the run down state of many town centres and that they have done more than anyone in recent years to “reinvigorate the high streets in the UK.”
Speaking to the Guardian, ahead of submitting himself to a public grilling by sustainability experts, Mr King outlined Sainsbury’s determination to become the UK’s greenest grocer. He also insists it makes commercial sense.
He said; “People are increasingly looking to businesses that give them value and values. We never believed that the credit crunch would lead to a values crunch-and we’ve been proved right.”
He believes that these values cross socio-economic boundaries and “the idea that people who’ve got less, care less is out of touch with how people really feel and behave.” In line with this Sainsbury’s has invested significant amounts in recycling and green energy solutions in many of its stores. The supermarket is also keen to highlight the fair price it pays to dairy farmers and its commitment to work closely with local producers.
The Sainsbury’s chief also defended supermarkets from allegations that they have contributed to the decline of UK high streets. The number of empty commercial properties in many town centres has been the subject of much debate since the publication of the Portas Review last December but Mr King says blaming supermarkets is misguided.
He cites several examples of instances where Sainsbury’s stores have given a boost to high streets and he believes they just need to get better at reporting it.
He said; “We have around 600 supermarkets and around 200 are in what you or I would call a high street. Certainly every single one of our stores is reinvigorating the location it is in.”
Mary Portas cited the growth of supermarkets as one of the contributing factors in the decline of the high street but conceded that there was little point in trying to reverse this. It is reported this week that she is to write to the Prime Minister because she fears that government support for her proposals is evaporating.
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