Dutch supermarket chain Jumbo has announced a new initiative to help combat the decline of bees and butterflies.
Working together with Greenpeace, it has promised to increase its range of fresh produce, cut flowers and garden plants produced under the eco-label Milieukeur and double its share of organic fruit and vegetables by the end of 2019.
'Milieukeur' stands for food production that uses a minimum amount of pesticides and fertilisers, thought to be a factor in the decline of bees and other pollinators. By establishing long-term trade agreements with Milieukeur producers, Jumbo effectively supports this more eco-friendly form of agriculture.
Sylvia Borren, the managing director of Greenpeace Nederland, commented, “This is excellent news, not only for bees and biodiversity, but for farmers in the Netherlands as well. I urge the other supermarkets to follow Jumbo’s lead. What are they waiting for?"
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Martha Sparrius. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
