At Retail Innovation Week, Dropps CEO Alastair Dorward delivered a message about how sustainability must start at the source. As the leader of the eco-friendly cleaning brand Dropps, Dorward said the retail industry’s needs to address carbon emissions, packaging waste and inefficiencies in supply chains – right from product inception.
“Start with the Molecule, End with the Truck”
Dorward said traditional sustainability efforts often start too late in the process.
"If you simply design your product or service the right way," he said, "then you can have unlimited growth and commitment to sustainability."
Dropps’ signature laundry and dish detergent pods are intentionally designed to reduce size, weight and waste, minimizing the need for plastic and excess packaging.
Redesigning Retail for Regeneration
Dorward challenged CPGs and retailers to view sustainability as a systems design challenge rather than a marketing tactic. Most brands start with a product and try to make environmental-conscience changes later in the process.
Instead, Dropps integrates sustainability from the start, using water-soluble film, eliminating excess water weight and designing for low-emission e-commerce fulfillment.
Bentonville’s Strategic Role in the Shift
Speaking in the heart of Walmart country, Dorward pointed to Northwest Arkansas as a pivotal hub for driving regenerative retail. He encouraged stakeholders to collaborate locally to create scalable models for cleaner logistics and smarter product innovation.
A Call for Radical Simplicity
Echoing themes of efficiency and regeneration, Dorward urged brands to “rethink complexity.” Simplified formulations, reduced SKUs and minimal packaging don’t just cut costs, but they also serve customers and the planet.
“When you actually have a category where there’s historically been a trade-off – of green doesn’t clean, or we're going to have to run the dishwasher a second time because it hasn’t worked – if you can actually break that trade-off, you can deliver exceptional growth and value to the consumer," Dorward said.
Explore more insights from Retail Innovation Week and the future of omnichannel retail at dbbnwa.com.
