SuperSustain

In the food system, supermarket chains play a crucial role at the interface between production and consumption. But how do the sustainability profiles of supermarkets differ? What determines the differences? And how can sustainable practices be expanded? Against this backdrop, the researchers want to investigate whether and how supermarkets can accelerate the transition to sustainable consumption and production systems as part of the SuperSustain project.
To this end, the project participants systematically analyse the sustainability profiles of global relevant food retailers and examine the business motivations of their sustainability profiles. They also investigate decision-making for sustainability innovations as complex interactions in socio-technical systems.

In particular, the Wuppertal Institute's scientists carry out a sustainability assessment, which includes life cycle analysis and the application of impact models, and examine the extent to which they achieve their intended effect. The aim is to identify opportunities along the value chain that offer high potential for sustainability innovations and to analyse the environmental effects of the innovations both qualitatively and quantitatively.

The project SuperSustain is funded by the Belmont Forum.