RETAILING AND SUSTAINABILITY: COVERGENCE OR CONTRADICTION IN THE US

This viewpoint paper provides a short review of the 'Retail Sustainability Report' published by the US Retail Industry Leaders Association. The paper begins by providing a brief summary of the report and then offers some critical reflections on its findings. The report provides a very positive view of the ways the US retail industry is currently addressing a series of sustainability agendas. However the authors argue that the US retail industry has collectively constructed a definition of sustainability that is located within the dominant capitalist business model and driven by commercial interests rather than a genuine concern to maintain the integrity and long term viability of natural ecosystems. The paper provides a short accessible review of, and some critical reflections on, the sustainability agendas currently being pursued by the US retail industry and as such it will interest business and management and retail students and academics and those working in management positions within the retail industry.