For an increasing number of customers at K-Citymarket Laune, a visit to the store’s outlet area is a part of every shopping trip. The popular clearance section measuring 300 m2 offers clothing, leisure and home products at discounts of up to 70%. New items are added every week, and everything put on sale finds its way into customers’ shopping trolleys. Shoppers of all ages visit the outlet, but it is especially popular among families with children, who come to pick up affordable children's clothing and footwear.
What customers see as an opportunity to benefit from great discounts is an example of K-Citymarket’s waste management activities. Before the clothes and home goods end up in the outlet, a lot of work has already been carried out at K-Citymarkets to minimise waste.
“The key is prevention. We plan our selection using data – we simply don’t keep products that don’t sell in our selection. The collections in our mywear own-brand are long-lasting; in practice, we only design summer and winter collections. When the season changes, products are sold at a discount. Any unsold products go to the outlet and from there to our customers. None of our saleable clothing ends up as waste – everything we put on sale finds a customer,” says Niko Täck, Department Store Director at K-Citymarket Laune.
Waste management model in use across all K-Citymarkets
Promoting the circular economy is one of the focus areas of Kesko’s sustainability strategy. The aim is both to create new business opportunities through circular solutions and to improve the recycling of waste.
“Waste management is part of a product’s sustainability throughout its entire life cycle. Our goal is for both the product and packaging to generate as little waste as possible. The key ways to prevent waste in home and speciality goods are assortment management, discounts, donations and outlet areas. We recycle all product packaging waste in the store,” says Hanna Lehmuskoski, Kesko’s Environmental Manager.
A waste management model for home and speciality goods is in place in all 83 K-Citymarkets. A total of 21 K-Citymarkets have an outlet area within the store. A few times a year, K-Citymarkets donate items such as cosmetics and hygiene products to local charities. In practice, only packaging materials and spoiled or damaged products end up as waste.
Legislation also plays a role in reducing waste in home and speciality goods. The Ecodesign Regulation, which came into effect in 2024, requires companies to report on unsold products and the measures they take to manage waste. After the transitional period, from 19 July 2026 onwards, businesses will be prohibited from disposing of unsold clothing, clothing accessories and footwear.
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