HUTCH Deepens Sustainability Footprint in Retail with 4th Signature+ Outlet in Galle

HUTCH Sri Lanka, the telecom subsidiary of the Global Fortune 500 diversified conglomerate – CK Hutchison Holdings, has launched its Galle Signature+ outlet, the latest addition to its nationwide retail transformation under the company's sustainability-centric retail expansion. The concept, a first for Sri Lankan retail, is an expansion of openings earlier this year at Colombo-Fort, Kandy town and Negombo.

The HUTCH Signature+ outlets are a stark departure from conventional retail design. Nearly 90 percent of the outlets’ interiors are crafted from sustainably sourced repurposed materials converted into premium fixtures. Reclaimed pallet wood, kumburu seeds, arecanut leaves, and banana bark have been used to create a new, long-lasting purpose. Every surface and fixture carries the mark of the local craftsmen who shaped the making, embedding the circular economy in practice, and returning direct value to the communities.  The Galle outlet, in line with the rest of the Signature+ chain, is powered by renewable energy and features a safe e-waste disposal facility for end-of-life devices, completing a full circle in sustainability thinking. 

Beyond the design, the Galle Signature+ outlet is built to offer its visitors a genuinely different experience. Once inside, the craftsmanship is deliberate and unhurried. Visitors can explore products and services, spending time in a space they know was built with care for them and the environment they live in.

The CK Hutchison Group, which operates HUTCH in Sri Lanka, is a world leader in global retailing and the No. 1 retail chain in health and beauty through its A.S Watson brand.  It operates more than 17,000 retail outlets globally, of which more than 4,000 outlets have already transitioned to green retail. Through its energy arm, the group is a significant producer of renewable energy. CK Hutchison’s telecom networks globally operate with nearly 65 percent of their power already sourced from renewable energy. As the group operates businesses in more than 50 countries, across six of the world’s seven continents, sustainability thinking is embedded across the group, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Commenting on the Galle opening, Saumitra Gupta, CEO of HUTCH Sri Lanka said, “Our new Signature+ outlet to serve the people of Galle is perhaps our most profound yet. Our environmental sustainability focus resonates with Galle’s ‘UNESCO World Heritage’ status. Here the conservation of archaeology and the environment converge to complement each other greatly. Sri Lanka has already set a goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Replicating the rich experiences from our group, we are making strides to contribute to Sri Lanka’s target with sustainability centric actions mobilized for people, retail and infrastructure, and presented in simple ways that citizens can observe, learn and embrace for a lasting positive change.”