Lotte Duty Free marks World Environment Day with series of eco

SOUTH KOREA. Lotte Duty Free has today kicked off a series of initiatives to promote environmentally-friendly practices at its downtown stores to coincide with World Environment Day (June 5).

To mark the occasion at its main Myeong-dong store in Seoul, top-tier Korean customers who purchase more than US$700 of products up to 30 June are being rewarded with free eco-friendly gifts.

The complimentary gift line-up includes eco-friendly kitchen detergent using Jeju tangerines, bubble soap, coconut scrubber and an eco bag. These products are sourced from Cocori Jeju, a social enterprise that received support through Lotte Duty Free's social contribution project, Starups.

Some of the eco-friendly free gifts being given to top-tier Lotte Duty Free customers as part of the retailer's environmental awareness drive

Also at the Myeong-dong store, the retailer has replaced disposable plastic cups, lids and carriers for beverages provided at its VIP customer lounge, ‘Star Lounge’, with biodegradable alternatives. The initiative will be expanded to all domestic stores.

Alongside, under its eco-friendly management slogan, ‘Duty 4 Earth’, Lotte Duty Free has been carrying out pragmatic ways to reduce resource waste throughout its activities, from logistics to product sales and delivery, with the aim of protecting the global environment.

In a further environmental initiative, on 31 May about 20 Lotte Duty Free Busan store executives and staff members picked up trash on Gwangalli Beach in Busan.

Meanwhile, under a ‘Zero Waste’ initiative, Lotte Duty Free's Jeju downtown store offered free reusable tumblers to customers using the shop's Flove Café, where baristas with disabilities work.

Lotte Duty Free Head of Myeong-dong Headquarters Yang Hee-sang said: "On Environment Day, we prepared a campaign to share the meaning of environmental protection with our customers."

Other recent environmentally-friendly Lotte Duty Free initiatives include the installation of solar power generation facilities at its integrated logistics centre on Yeongjong Island, Incheon. The move has reduced carbon emissions by about 875 tonnes per year.

The retailer has also introduced electric vehicles there to transport duty free goods between distribution centres, downtown stores and airport stores. Electric vehicle charging stations were installed in February, taking the lead in reducing greenhouse gases and fine dust.

Lotte Duty Free said it expects to reduce annual disposable plastic waste generated at its airport stores by more than -80%. This is being achieved with initiatives such as using environmentally-friendly bubble wrap and recycled tarpaulin bags for packaging duty free goods.

In recognition of its eco-friendly management practices, Lotte Duty Free has obtained Environmental Management System ISO 14001 certification from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), a first for the South Korean duty free industry.

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