From the field to the point of sale: for us it is very important to know where raw materials come from and how they have been processed. We are working to maximize the traceability of our raw materials, to simplify our value chains and to optimize them in ecological and social terms.
The global and increasingly networked economy is making our supply chains more complex. It is important for us to know where, how and under which conditions our products are produced. Armed with knowledge of the individual steps in our supply chains, we are better equipped to identify and effectively tackle risks.
We can then live up to our responsibilities to people, animals and the natural world throughout our supply chains. Reflecting this, we have enshrined the topic in our multi-year sustainability targets and are striving for transparency and traceability for critical raw materials used in our own-label brands across the Coop Group. We are focusing on our own-label brands, and particularly on products containing critical raw materials, because it is the area in which we have the greatest scope for action and can make the biggest impact.
Sustainability standards can be a way of guaranteeing the traceability of raw materials. Bio Suisse, for example, guarantees the traceability of agricultural raw materials through to production. Critical raw materials, which are certified to a sustainability standard but are not segregated along the supply chain, are a challenge. These are handled alongside conventional raw materials, which makes their traceability throughout the supply chain more difficult. That is why we need more information. We systematically collect the following key figures for all critical raw materials:
Find out more in our policy paper on critical raw materials.
Using mapping projects, we trace each and every stage of the supply chains for our own-label brand products. We document the processing and production steps from cultivation to sales. The data we collect is used to analyse the supply chains for risks, to identify risks early on and to implement improvement measures if necessary.
We are aware of our responsibility towards society and the environment and are committed to continually improving the sustainability of our products.Under our commitment with regard to risk products, we illustrate products that entail the greatest risks and about which we are most concerned.
For unprocessed products, these should comprise only three stages if possible: the producer, exporter and importer.
Working locally with producers is the way to achieve truly transparent products. That way we can guarantee traceable supply chains and promote cultivation methods that are more socially and ecologically sound in the places of production. We have therefore already implemented various projects related to critical raw materials. Here are some examples:
In 2022, we introduced the Beelong eco-score in our own-label products. The eco-score is a rating system for products. It evaluates a product's impact on the environment. The following criteria are taken into account:
The eco-score evaluates the environmental impact of a food item from its production to its consumption by looking at all its ingredients and their origin, the methods used to cultivate, rear or catch them, the distances they have travelled, the modes of transport and any cold storage used. The eco-score is calculated by Beelong and is based on the latest scientific data and the information available on the market. It offers consumers and Coop as a retailer transparent and comprehensive information about the environmental impact of food items and supports sustainable eating habits.
Already, more than 2 000 own-label products on coop.ch have been given an eco-score. Eco-scores are constantly being added to more products which will be added on coop.ch and step by step on their packaging as well. Over the following years all Coop own-label food items will be rated.
There is no simple, standard solution for tracing products. We are working to maximize traceability, depending on the product range involved.
We can guarantee full traceability for all organic products labelled with the Bio Suisse bud. Thanks to the Naturaplan ID, customers purchasing Naturaplan fruit and vegetables can see for themselves which farms their organic fruit and vegetables have come from. Products sold loose bear a bud sticker with the Naturaplan ID code. On packaged fruit and vegetables, the Naturaplan ID has been shown on the label since 2010.
All the eggs we sell are marked with a number. This number allows you to trace the egg back to the production facility. It provides information about the farming method, the country of origin, the farm and the date of lay.
You can trace eggs from Switzerland on the GalloSuisse website. However, egg producers join this initiative on a voluntary basis, so they may not all be listed on the website.
Eggs imported into Switzerland from the European Union can be traced via the website of the Association for Controlled Alternative Animal Husbandry (KAT) using the so-called egg code. This code is a statutory marking requirement within the EU.
The FLO-ID, as it is known, can be found on more than 1 300 items with the Fairtrade Max Havelaar label. To find out more about the producer and the product, you can enter the code on the Fairtrade Max Havelaar website.
More and more items of clothing from our Naturaline own-label brand display a QR code and a numerical code on their sewn-in label. On the My-Trace website provided by Remei AG, you can trace in detail the route from the cultivation of the organic cotton, through various production stages, to the finished product.
As a company group with a wide range of products, we need to keep a close eye on the potential negative effects of our business activities. This allows us to use our resources appropriately to avoid, alleviate, remove and redress such effects. We take due diligence and our responsibility seriously and adhere to the Due Diligence Guidance and the Due Diligence Process of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
To exercise due diligence, we continuously examine the ecological and social impact of our products, thus ensuring that possible risks are recognized and minimized at an early stage. We periodically screen our product ranges to identify new issues and introduce measures. For example, we deal with topics like critical raw materials or working conditions, transparency in the supply chains and the impact of crop cultivation or production on the environment.
For many years, we have employed various tools to find effective leverage points for sustainable supply chains. Our aim in doing so is to take care of the environment, our fellow humans and natural resources. The tools include product range screenings, life cycle assessments and, most importantly, new insights from the scientific community and other organizations.