With the „Best Practice Price“ (BPP) it’s easy to make good decisions when shopping! The retail price is compared to the BPP, which includes not only the retail price but also hidden social costs, which are delegated to the whole society - such as unfair pay or environmental damage. The BPP thus represents the price one would pay if the product had been made and was priced truly sustainably. 

 

Unlike other sustainability labels and schemes, the Best Practice Price includes economic, environmental and social aspects. The concept comes to life via its design and digital touchpoints. Let’s take the example of a T-shirt priced at 2 € in the shops. It’s price including the hidden social and environmental costs would be 6 €, which is the Best Practice Price. If we compare the retail price and the BPP, we can calculate the Best Practice Ratio (BPR). The BPR tells us which percentage of the BPP is actually covered by the current retail price. In our example that’s 33%. Checking the BPR and the BPP on a price tag is enough to see how sustainable a product or service really is, making sustainable consumption an obvious and easy choice for consumers. For companies, sustainability becomes easier to calculate. Just like the retail price, the BPP can be calculated at each step of the value chain and passed on to the next company in the chain. Greenwashing thus becomes superfluous. The “Best Practice App“ brings the BPP close to everyone: simply scan a barcode to see the BPP and BPR. By scanning a receipt with multiple purchases, a consumer can check the average BPR of that shopping trip and easily track their own consumption patterns. On the BPP website it’s also possible to check the BPP of one’s favourite products and brands and compare them to alternatives.

 

BPP supports sustainable consumption. Negative environmental impacts are reduced while social and economic benefits are increased. Many products we purchase or services or use have negative impacts we don’t know about. If we pay attention to buy those products or services with a certain label, that still tell us only that one particular environmental or social aspect is certified as ‘good’. With the BPP we can take into account all social, environmental and economic aspects throughout the whole value chain and life cycle of a product. Because the BPR is expressed as a percentage, all products and services can be compared to each other. By being based on current best practice, the BPP is always up-to-date on the latest sustainable trends and practices in production. To keep a good BPP, products have to show continuous improvements in line with the evolving best practices. BPP unites the three dimensions of sustainability in the whole value chain. BPP summaries all decisions along the chain including during the use and end-of-life phase. All relevant aspects of production are thus considered: ranging from land use over energy consumptions all the way to emissions and animal welfare. Moreover BPP includes a qualitative dimension since the level of sustainability is accurately described.

 

With the BPP the consumption pattern can be changed for the better. Many consumers try to buy products with environmental or Fairtrade-labels. But often that means making a choice between either an environmental or a Fairtrade label. It’s often difficult to compare labels and weigh the benefits of different labels. What’s better: an organic or a regional apple? If consumers feel overwhelmed by information, they may end up feeling resignation or frustration. The BPP makes it as easy as possible for the consumer. Consumers can see at first glance how sustainable a product is and it thus becomes easy to consume sustainably. Consumers don’t need to be experts and can’t be fooled by greenwashing, fanciful labels or green packaging. With the digital touchpoint provided by the Best Practice App, a connection to the brand is created. By tracking one’s own consumption, it is easy to check how sustainably one really does or does not consume. The visual appearance lays the foundation for a strong brand. BPP is positioned as a personal shopping guide, helping consumers to make the right decisions based on objective science. The Corporate Design is a play on the duality between scientific objectivity on the hand hand and a trustworthy, emotional connection on the other hand.