Analysis of the Success Rate of Zero Waste Grocery stores in the Czech Republic

The packaging industry is expected to achieve a turnover of US $ 1,000 trillion per year worldwide by 2023, that amounts to an increase of 2.8% compared to 2016. Plastic food packaging accounts for US $ 356.7 trillion at the current rate of consumption, representing more than 1/3 of total packaging production (All4pack Paris, 2018). The current form of the retail industry, based on a linear model is unsustainable in the long run for the society development, that is also why the popularity of non-packaging grocery stores has become more popular in the last 5 years. For further growth of this concept, it is necessary to expand both the theoretical basis and empirical studies, which have not yet taken place been performed in the Czech Republic. In order to analyze economically successful unpackaged sales non-packaging stores in the Czech Republic and determine the success factors of these stores, a questionnaire survey of 30 stores was conducted demonstrated, focusing on basic economic issues, from which the 5 most economically successful representatives were selected, with whom semi-structured interviews were conducted. Thanks to a general analysis of interviews and comparisons with the world literature focused on sustainable development and the zero waste movement, the deviations and similarities of the Czech and foreign markets of non-packaging stores were subsequently evaluated and critical factors of their success were determined.