On the way to a sustainable supermarket of the future

C2C projects use concrete examples to show what a sustainable circular economy with direct benefits for all stakeholders can look like. These projects result in organizers, producers, and suppliers who have gained practical experience and more aware consumers who actively participate in the pilot projects. The guiding principle is that the more tangible the experience for all participants, the closer we get to attractive solutions with added value for the environment and society. This was the challenge that C2C presented to the participants in March 2024: "Rethink the supermarket as a focal point of urban life and a place where people come into contact with all the relevant issues around sustainability. Rethink it as a place where people are nudged to engage with these issues positively, which benefits them, and then leave that place feeling confident."

After just one week, the participants of the Global Design Thinking Workshop presented their prototypes at the Potsdam Lab in the city center on March 13th, 2024. They discussed their findings with representatives of Cradle to Cradle. For the project partners, the finished solutions are essential and provide surprising insights from interactions with potential users. Among other things, the teams found that older people are more interested in health aspects and are open to the digital communication of related information directly at the point of purchase. The insight that users associate sustainability with food primarily with the place of production led to functions in the prototypes that made local food producers more tangible for consumers.
All in all, the six teams presented our project partner, Cradle to Cradle, with a range of solutions and new approaches, which the partner will take home in a comprehensive document for further development.