How sustainable is sustainability?

Retailers use the concept of 'sustainability' to differentiate their products. In doing so, they add to the cost of food to the consumer.

By Koos Coetzee

6 Oct 2015

kpgolfpro via

kpgolfpro via pixabay

Scientists relate that research funds are more readily available if their proposals have something to do with 'sustainanility'. Consumer journalists love the term, and the retail chain stores have realised they can use 'sustainability' to differentiate the food on their shelves from the identical product on another chain's shelves.

Read the full story on Farmer's Weekly.

Source: Farmer's Weekly

Farmer’s Weekly has a long and proud history of serving South Africa’s agricultural industry. Throughout the years, Farmer’s Weekly has been a clarion for South Africa’s farming community and, the magazine remains fully committed to its original undertaking – the advancement of the interests of farmers and their industry.

Go to: www.farmersweekly.co.za

Top stories

#BizTrends2026 | Quantum Studios' Dr. Chris Roets: Memory-led marketing trends that will shape the year

Marketing & Media#BizTrends2026 | Quantum Studios' Dr. Chris Roets: Memory-led marketing trends that will shape the year

Chris Roets 8 hours

Skeem Saam shatters soapie records

Marketing & MediaSkeem Saam shatters soapie records

8 hours

From gas pumps to grocery hubs: The future of SA's forecourts

RetailFrom gas pumps to grocery hubs: The future of SA's forecourts

Karen Keylock 4 hours

#MiningIndaba: Untapped mineral potential shows South African mining is a sunrise industry

Energy & Mining#MiningIndaba: Untapped mineral potential shows South African mining is a sunrise industry

43 minutes

Robin van Wyk, Senior Associate - Mining, Environmental & Energy Law - NSVD

Legal#BizTrends2026 | NSDV's Lili Nupen & Robin van Wyk: The new rules shaping mining, energy, environment and construction

Lili Nupen and Robin van Wyk 4 hours

SAGMJ names 2026 Car of the Year finalists

AutomotiveSAGMJ names 2026 Car of the Year finalists

1 hour

More news

2025 Shoprite bursary graduates: Thoriso Sethosa, Johan Van Rhyn and Kwakho Mtiki

Education

90 bursaries available in Shoprite's 2026 bursary programme - now open for application

5 Feb 2026

Chery-backed Lepas to enter SA market in March

Automotive

Chery-backed Lepas to enter SA market in March

1 hour

Image source: kstudio from

Legal

Class actions on the increase: A case for regulation of litigation funding

Stuart Pringle 7 hours

Keegan Skinner, Deputy Head – Academics, Reddam House Waterfall

Education

#BizTrends2026 | Reddam's Keegan Skinner: Redefining the pursuit of excellence

Keegan Skinner 2 hours

Coastal boom: Eastern Cape property market outpaces inland growth

Property

Coastal boom: Eastern Cape property market outpaces inland growth

2 hours

Celeste Sirin, employer branding specialist and CEO of Employer Branding Africa

HR & Management

#BizTrends2026 | Employer Branding Africa's Celeste Sirin: Employer brand credibility and the human differentiator

Celeste Sirin 2 hours

What Cape Town can do to save water

ESG & Sustainability

What Cape Town can do to save water

Steve Kretzmann 5 hours

Victor Terblanche, Managing Director of CentaTax says their rebrand allows them to better communicate who they are today (Image supplied)

Finance

VAT IT rebrands to reflect expanded services

5 hours

From farm gates to great escapes: The rise of agritourism in South Africa

Agriculture

From farm gates to great escapes: The rise of agritourism in South Africa

Desry Lesele 6 hours

Startup Club ZA launches Platform ZA to tackle access gaps in SA’s tech ecosystem

Entrepreneurship

Startup Club ZA launches Platform ZA to tackle access gaps in SA’s tech ecosystem

5 hours

How African CEOs plan to close the AI execution gap

ICT

How African CEOs plan to close the AI execution gap

President Ntuli 6 hours

A tourist rides a beach buggy in Wadi Billi, at El-Gouna near the Red Sea, Egypt, 14 November 2018. Reuters/Mohamed Abd El Ghany

Construction & Engineering

Egypt plans $1bn Red Sea marina, hotel development

Ahmed Elimam, Momen Saeed Atallah and Alexander Dziadosz 6 hours

SA's geoscience to get a boost with new CGS and BHP partnership

Energy & Mining

SA's geoscience to get a boost with new CGS and BHP partnership

4 hours

"Financial apartheid" hampers South Africa's health future

Healthcare

"Financial apartheid" hampers South Africa's health future

6 hours

Can entrepreneurship be taught? Here’s the neuroscience

Entrepreneurship

Can entrepreneurship be taught? Here’s the neuroscience

Victor (Vik) Perez 6 hours

Three key organisations have raised the alarm that Johannesburg and Pretoria Master’s Offices could be left “rudderless”. Archive photo: Ella Morrison / GroundUp

Legal

Johannesburg and Pretoria Masters’ offices still without permanent heads

Justin Brown 1 day

Khomotjo Mashele, head of product: high schools at Spark Schools

Education

#BizTrends2026 | Spark Schools' Khomotjo Mashele: Personalised pathways for a changing world

Khomotjo Mashele 1 day

Lyndy van den Baarselaar, Managing Director at Manpower SA

HR & Management

#BizTrends2026 | Manpower SA's Lyndy van den Baarselaar: Steering the future of work with purpose, agility, and humanity

Lyndy van den Barselaar 1 day

#MiningIndaba: Harmony Gold's copper venture may take 2 years

Energy & Mining

#MiningIndaba: Harmony Gold's copper venture may take 2 years

Nqobile Dludla and Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo 9 hours

Source:

HR & Management

Nike under investigation for allegedly discriminating against White employees

6 Feb 2026

Matt C. Smith redefines endurance as he leads SA into the 2026 Winter Olympics battlefield

Lifestyle

Matt C. Smith redefines endurance as he leads SA into the 2026 Winter Olympics battlefield

5 hours

Anton van Heerden, CEO of DNA EOR

HR & Management

#BizTrends2026 | DNA EOR's Anton van Heerden: 8 global hiring shifts HR can’t ignore in 2026

Anton van Heerden 5 Feb 2026

Lebo Masola-Mnjama, talent manager, Dariel Software

HR & Management

Beyond tech: 4 essential skills driving future career success

6 Feb 2026

Image source:

HR & Management

National Minimum Wage bumped to over R30 per hour

4 Feb 2026

Image source: DC Studio from

Legal

#BizTrends2026 | Bowmans' team: Regulatory developments in fintech, TMT sectors help steer Africa's investment future

Ashleigh Hale, Kate Beretta and John Paul Ongeso 5 Feb 2026

Image source: sondem –

Construction & Engineering

R24m bridge set to transform access in Engcobo

1 day

Image source: jcomp from

Legal

Call for comment on draft Cannabis Regulations

4 Feb 2026

A sign outside Elshaddai Learning Academy advertises classes from Grade RR to 12, but accreditation authority Umalusi says the school has not applied for matric accreditation. This photo was taken last week. Photo: Kimberly Mutandiro/GroundUp

Education

Private school misleads parents about matric accreditation

Kimberly Mutandiro 5 Feb 2026

Let's do Biz