Sri Lanka’s retail goes green, Ecolabel programme enters shopping malls and supermarkets
Daily Mirror: Sri Lanka’s retail sector is stepping into a new sustainability era with the launch of the country’s first environmental certification scheme tailored specifically for shopping malls and supermarkets.
The National Cleaner Production Centre Sri Lanka (NCPCSL) has expanded its internationally and nationally recognised Ecolabel Sri Lanka programme to cover retail operations, setting new benchmarks for environmentally responsible commerce.
The Ecolabel Sri Lanka scheme is accredited by the Sri Lanka Accreditation Board for Conformity Assessment and is a full member of the Global Ecolabelling Network. The expansion of this labelling scheme to the retail sector, with the support of the Eco Mark Japan, reinforces its alignment with internationally recognised standards.
Japan has successfully implemented ecolabelling in its shopping malls and supermarkets for many years, with numerous establishments certified under the ‘Eco Mark, Japan’ scheme. With guidance from the Eco Mark Programme, the NCPCSL has now adapted this approach for local use, offering a practical pathway for Sri Lankan retailers to go green.
The programme promotes energy efficiency, waste reduction, responsible resource use and sustainable management practices, aiming to reshape how the large retail establishments operate while influencing consumer expectations toward greener shopping environments.
By introducing ecolabelling to the retail sector, Sri Lanka strengthens its position as a regional leader in sustainable business, signalling that environmentally responsible operations are becoming essential to modern retail strategy.
The retail establishments that obtain the ecolabel certification are expected to significantly reduce their energy consumption and minimise waste generation achievements that can directly benefit both businesses and the environment.
By extending ecolabelling into retailing, Sri Lanka positions itself at the forefront of sustainable business practices in the region signalling that green operations are fast becoming a core part of modern retail strategy.
The initiative was officially launched at a high-level CEO Forum today at NH Collection Colombo, bringing together senior leaders from shopping malls, supermarkets and allied industries.
Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Ministry Secretary J.M. Thilaka Jayasundara will attend as the chief guest. The forum will showcase global best practices shared by leading experts from Japan’s Eco Mark programme and the Environment Ministry, Japan.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s focus on developing a blue and green economy by giving priority to sustainable and eco-friendly solutions have been expanded to key economic sectors. This move has created many business/investment opportunities in the country that are yet to be fully tapped by businesses. Hence, ensuring sustainability and promoting eco-friendly solutions have presented many business/investment opportunities for foreign businesses/investors to explore. While ecolabelling has now entered the country’s retail sector, there are many business/investment opportunities still open in many other sectors as well. With Sri Lanka positioned as an emerging business destination in the South Asian region with many supporting factors and an increasing ease of doing business environment in the country, foreign businesses/investors could confidently explore the expanding business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s sustainability programme while also looking at expanding operations through local collaborations.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20260213/Z_4 |