Iniciative
Consumption with positive impact
About the initiative
When you change, the world changes
The same purpose that has enabled millions of people to buy and sell online over our platform has led us to boost the value chain of products with positive impact in Latin America. Since 2019, we have created a separate category for sustainable products, which raises the visibility of and facilitates the selling of items with a positive social and environmental impact over our platform.
We believe that offering sustainable products on a single site favors conscious consumption, and is a driver for the entrepreneurs who invest in this segment, creating a virtuous circle.
How it works
At present, the sustainable product category is active in seven countries, offering more than 66 thousand items that range from panels to generate solar energy to reusable compost bins and drinking straws. The examples below illustrate some applicable criteria to include new products in this category:
Energy efficiency
Production and marketing
Low-emission mobility
Efficient use of natural resources
Recycled and recovered materials
Enlarging and diversifying our offerings
We want to collect the most sustainable products that are available on the market, and offer the largest possible variety to our users. With that in mind, we have partnered with relevant organizations, such as Sistema B: we have an agreement in force since 2017 to promote certified companies over our platform. In addition, we have developed our own training programs, such as Entrepreneurship with impact + Biomass, aimed at boosting sales and entrepreneurship generating a positive impact on the Latin American biodiversity.
Campaigns
Over the year, we have reinforced the visibility of the “Sustainable Products” section and talked with our consumers about this topic via special campaigns such as EcoFriday, which has been conducted every year since 2016; the Week of the Environment; “Da Amazônia para Você” [From Amazonia to you], and “Desde Gran Chaco para Vos” [From Gran Chaco to you], among others.
Our solutions make it easier for consumers to opt for products that generate positive impacts for the people and the environment.
Annual study of trends
Online sustainable consumption in Brazil and Latin America
We have recorded a growing demand for sustainable products in our surveys about consumer behavior in this category across Latin America. Some results from our last survey are shown below:
Supply
+66,000
+66,000 items available under the “Sustainable Products” category
+47%
+47% compared with 2020
+169,000
+169,000 selling entrepreneurs and businesses
+69%
+69% compared with 2020
Demand
+9 million
+9 million products with positive impact marketed in the region
+344%
+344% compared with 2020
+4,7 million
+4,7 million users bought at least one sustainable product from Mercado Libre
+37%
+37% compared with 2020
60% and 68%
Of them, 60% were new users, while 68% are loyal buyers
Top selling products
Solar Panels
Menstrual cups
Reusable coffee capsules
Compost bins
Water filtration systems
Consumers
Main consumer concerns
#1 Water contamination
#1 Water contamination
#2 Climate change
#2 Climate change
#3 Plastic waste
#3 Plastic waste
Join the category
To be included in the Mercado Libre's “Sustainable Products” category, a product has to meet our platform standards as to sustainability. The criteria applied for the taxonomy are the following:
- It reduces waste sent to landfills
- It is reusable
- It avoids emissions
- It holds a B Corp certification
- It generates income for Latin American biomes
- It has the Amaz and Climate Venture partner seals.
Join the Sustainable Products section
This is just a token
