With sustainability becoming an increasingly pressing issue in the public consciousness, a few stores around the world are using in-store farming as a way to send a message and, why not, to promote themselves.
Zona Sul, a Brazilian supermarket chain, has turned its produce aisle into a ‘fresh garden’, where shoppers can harvest their vegetables themselves. As a matter of fact, unlike the vertical farm that has been installed in a Metro store in Berlin, this is just a ‘pseudo-garden’: veggies are displayed as if they are growing in the store, yet they were transported from elsewhere. Launched as part of a successful campaign that aims to promote the chain’s commitment to quality and freshness, the ‘fresh garden’ concept has led to an 18 percent increase in produce sales.
