Resource Conservation Initiatives
Resource Conservation Initiatives
Water Resource Utilization Initiatives
MARUI GROUP is implementing initiatives to promote the effective utilization of water resources at its head office and at certain Marui stores. Rainwater stored on rooftops is used in restrooms, and the water amounts used when flushing employee toilets are set at less wasteful levels.
Independent Verification Report (FY2022)
Rainwater storage tank
Containers and Packaging Initiatives
Basic Policies Pertaining to Containers and Packaging
MARUI GROUP believes that helping to build a sustainable society and global environment through its business is part of its ethical responsibility toward future generations. With the goal of contributing to a sustainable, recycling-oriented society, we use eco-friendly materials for containers and packaging and take steps to collect and recycle these articles after use to entrench recycling across the value chain.
Containers and Packaging Used for MARUI GROUP Private Brand Products
*1 Boxes necessary for transporting products and supplies
*2 Bags, etc., used for products (plastic covers for apparel products, non-woven fabrics used in miscellaneous items, bags, etc.)
*3 Boxes, etc., used for products (paper inserts, boxes, packing paper, and paper wrapping for apparel products; paper inserts for stockings; paper inserts, boxes, packing paper, straw packing, and paper wrapping for shoes; packing paper for bags; boxes for leather accessories; other paper wrapping; etc.)
Supplies necessary for product sales (plastic bags, shopping bags, gift wrapping, etc.)
MARUI GROUP's Initiatives for Container and Packaging and Future Directives
| Distribution Center | Stores, e-commerce websites, and offices | Customer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current initiatives | – Utilization of reusable cases – Collection and reuse of hangers |
– Promotion of separation of containers, packaging, and other garbage (e.g., "eco-factory" at Marui Family Mizonokuchi*) | – Transition from plastic shopping bags to paper shopping bags – Substitution of shoe boxes with recyclable materials – Adoption of alternative materials for straw packing for shoes |
| Future directives | – Continuation of current initiatives | – Transition to low-environmental-impact materials for containers and packaging for products and supplies (acquisition of environmental certification) – Promotion of garbage sorting (raise recycling rates) – Encouragement of business partners to reduce environmental impacts |
– Replacement of plastic materials with paper materials to reduce container and packaging weight – Development of shopping bags that can continue to be used over the long term through co-creation with customers |
* Waste treatment facilities at Marui Family Mizonokuchi (employs garbage weighing system to track garbage production by tenant and utilizes visual guides to facilitate garbage sorting)
Scope of Application
| Container and packaging materials | Containers and packaging disposed of at stores, e-commerce websites, and offices | Containers and packaging disposed of after being transferred to customers (shopping bags, etc.) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Directly produced sales floors | Private brands | – Transition to low-environmental-impact materials | – Ensure extensive recycling through promotion of garbage sorting | – Reduction of materials transferred to customers |
| Third-party brands | – Encouragement of business partners to transition to low-environmental-impact materials | – Ensure extensive recycling through promotion of garbage sorting | – Reduction of materials transferred to customers | |
| Tenants | – Encouragement of tenants to transition to low-environmental-impact materials | – Ensure extensive recycling through promotion of garbage sorting | – Encouragement of tenants to reduce materials transferred to customers | |
Container and Packaging Targets
MARUI GROUP is working to reduce the overall weight of paper and plastic containers and packaging materials used while also practicing exhaustive garbage sorting and maintaining 100% recycling rates.
In addition, we will continue to encourage business partners and customers to recycle in order to aid in the reduction of environmental impacts associated with containers and packaging throughout society.
Container and Packaging Reduction Initiatives
General waste processed across Japan contains large quantities of packaging. Recognizing its responsibility as a supplier of products, MARUI GROUP strives to reduce packaging.
Reduction of Plastic Use: Transition to Paper Shopping Bags
MARUI GROUP discontinued the use of plastic shopping bags in June 2020, and began selling paper shopping bags at all directly operated shops in Marui and Modi stores nationwide in July 2020. This move was undertaken as part of our efforts to foster a culture of carrying personal reusable shopping bags together with our customers. The paper shopping bags offered use 100% recyclable to contribute to forest protection.
Paper shopping bags
Inquiries on Customers' Desired Packaging Method
When customers purchase products, we ask them their desired packaging method to cut back on the use of unnecessary packaging and reduce waste.
Customer Responses Regarding Desired Packaging Method
Stop of Free Provision of Paper Bags at Shokuyukan Food Sales Areas
In February 2017, we stopped providing paper bags to customers at Shokuyukan food sales areas free of charge. This move was taken out of consideration for the recent rise in social contribution awareness among customers as well as the need to preserve the environment by cutting back on packaging. Customers requesting paper bags are asked to make a donation of at least ¥10, which we provide to environmental organizations or municipal government agencies that work to help preserve the environment.
Initiatives for Reducing Plastic Bag Usage
MARUI GROUP began charging for plastic bags at its nationwide locations in 2020 in an effort to curtail excessive plastic consumption. Similarly, all Marui Shokuyukan food sales areas have been reducing plastic bag usage by charging for plastic bags since 2019.
Letter of Appreciation from Nonprofit Organization
At Kitasenju Marui, customers can choose to direct donations toward Adachi City or to Arakawa Clean Aid Forum, a nonprofit organization that seeks to recover the natural splendor of the Arakawa river through trash pickup activities in this area. In February 2014, MARUI GROUP received a letter of appreciation from Arakawa Clean Aid Forum at a ceremony celebrating the 20th anniversary of its founding out of recognition of these ongoing donation activities.
| Kokubunji Marui | Totoro no Furusato Foundation |
|---|---|
| Marui Family Mizonokuchi | Tamagawa Eco Museum |
| Kitasenju Marui | Arakawa Clean Aid Forum |
| Marui Family Ebina | Katsuragawa-Sagamigawa River Basin Council |
| Marui Family Shiki | Shiki River and City Beautification Association |
| Totsuka Modi Marui Shokuyukan | Forum for Increasing the Appeal of Kashiogawa River and municipal government organizations |
Improvement of Resource Recycling Rates to Reduce Environmental Impacts
MARUI GROUP's resource recycling rate was 70.1% in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022. We are placing particular emphasis on recycling food waste in our efforts to improve the resource recycling rate. Moreover, Marui Family Mizonokuchi partnered with building management company MIZONOKUCHISHINTOSHI. Co., Ltd., to renovate its waste management facilities in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. This renovation entailed changing the layout of waste collection areas and implementing measures for tracking waste emission levels on an individual tenant basis. This renovation has proven immensely beneficial, with a food waste recycling rate of 100% being achieved a mere three months after the renovation's completion and the overall resource recycling rate rising by more than 30 percentage points, to 76%. Meanwhile, "eco-factories" were developed at Kichijoji Marui, Marui Family Shiki, and Kitasenju Marui during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021. Going forward, we will take steps to increase resource recycling rates at all stores in pursuit of further reductions to environmental impacts.
