The distance between sustainability store image and store identity inside grocery stores

Purpose The aim of the present work is to understand the definition shoppers give to the concept of sustainability in general and in the retailing grocery sector and which are the variables they consider more relevant in assessing the sustainability image of a store and which are not included in the evaluation process. Design/methodology/approach The focus groups provided a platform for participants to discuss key concepts of sustainability and the sustainable strategies implemented by retailers. Participants were then asked to identify their habitual store and, during their next shopping trip, take pictures of anything they perceived as sustainable. These images were later discussed in a follow-up focus group. Store checks were carried out to compare the in-store sustainability marketing strategies employed by retailers (measured in terms of presence or absence) with those noticed by participants. Findings Results show that shoppers claim to look for bulk products, products without reduced package; information about the origin the products; organic and fair-trade products, information and signs that help finding sustainable products inside the store. Originality/value The paper attempts to enrich the understanding of the sustainability concept in the grocery retailing sector focusing on the perceptions of the shoppers about how a sustainable retailer manages the retail mix and which are the variables managed inside the store that contribute to the perceived sustainability image.