Provenance: A Transparent Approach to Responsible Shopping

In an era of conscientious consumerism, a growing number of shoppers are seeking not just products but also the story behind them. They yearn for knowledge about a product's origin, its environmental and social impact, and the ethical practices of the companies they purchase from. Enter Provenance, a pioneering company committed to providing shoppers with unparalleled visibility into the sources and impact of the products they buy online.

Provenance

I had the pleasure of meeting the founder Jessi Baker MBE in London back in 2022 and got the chance to understand more about the company, its ambitions and direction.

Provenance has set out to revolutionize the way we perceive and interact with products. They believe that every product has a story - where it came from, how it was made, and its journey to the consumer.

Provenance empowers consumers to make informed choices. With access to comprehensive and reliable information about a product's background, shoppers can align their purchases with their values and preferences.

Through its transparent approach, Provenance helps build trust between consumers and brands. When companies willingly share their product's journey and impact, they create a sense of authenticity and responsibility, nurturing long-term relationships with their customer base.

And it works too, so far clients using Provenance are reporting significant uplift in sales on the goods that are Provenance-labelled.

Informing the shopper

Provenance cover in store shopping experiences by employing smart labels with QR codes placed on products. Shoppers can simply scan these QR codes with their smartphones to unveil a wealth of information about the product.

In the ecommerce environment access to this information is even easier, and Provenance provides the software that allows their information to be easily combined with existing product information. So, in addition to traditional specifications such as weight, size, colour, shoppers can now also easily identify if a product aligns with their values related to, for example, fair trade, environmental sustainability, or animal welfare.

How does it work?

In the current, unfortunate rise of false or exaggerated claims of ‘environmental practices’, otherwise known as green washing, Provenance provides a mechanism to go behind the marketing claims and check the real source of a product all the way through the supply chain.

They are working with existing certification providers such as Cosmos, Cradle to Cradle, Leaping Bunny and many others to provide and assimilate existing certification. They are extending this with self-evidenced proof from the manufacturers themselves – for example information regarding a product's social impact, such as fair wages, working conditions, and community contributions, are also presented. This integration of diverse sources creates a single view of the product for the consumer.

By showcasing the environmental impact of a product, Provenance encourages brands to adopt eco-friendly practices and consumers to opt for more sustainable alternatives. Consumers can make purchasing decisions with a clear conscience, supporting companies that prioritize social responsibility.

Provenance are also looking closely at blockchain technology to create an even more robust verification process. They are also working with some of the commerce vendors in the MACH alliance such as BigCommerce and Commercetools to provide out-of-the-box integrations with their store offerings.

My suggestion is that Provenance actually join the MACH Alliance – their software is MACH-ready and this will gives them their own ‘certification’ in the Composable SaaS universe to ensure that their product runs in all stores.

In short

Provenance's innovative approach to product transparency is a significant stride towards a more informed and ethically conscious consumer base. By putting the power of information into the hands of shoppers, Provenance not only facilitates more conscious buying decisions but also encourages brands to embrace accountability and sustainability. As this movement gains momentum, the hope is that all ecommerce stores will follow suit, ultimately transforming the way we shop online and fostering a more sustainable and responsible retail industry.

I look forward to seeing the next exciting phase of the Provenance journey