Ocado has introduced a new online section promoting female entrepreneurs.
- The ‘Buy Women Built’ initiative features over 1,000 products.
- Established brands and startups are included in the initiative.
- Sahar Hashemi spearheaded the ‘Buy Women Built’ campaign.
- Ocado aims to boost female entrepreneurship, addressing gender gaps.
Ocado has made a strategic move by launching the ‘Buy Women Built’ section on its online platform, showcasing more than 1,000 products crafted by female entrepreneurs. This initiative serves as an effort to highlight and support brands founded by women in a market predominantly led by male entrepreneurs.
The campaign, envisioned by Coffee Republic founder Sahar Hashemi, has led to the integration of prominent brands like Little Moons ice cream and Pip & Nut peanut butter, alongside new and emerging startups such as All Dressed Up sauces, into Ocado’s offerings. Hashemi’s initiative is presented as a means to elevate female-founded businesses by making them more accessible to consumers through Ocado’s widespread digital channels.
In comments to The Sunday Times, Ocado Retail’s Chief Executive, Hannah Gibson, articulated the company’s dedication to fostering female entrepreneurship, highlighting the campaign’s role in addressing the gender disparity in entrepreneurial ventures. ‘There are far fewer women entrepreneurs out there and we want to support that community,’ Gibson stated.
Hashemi emphasised the non-patronising intention behind the campaign, describing it as a signpost for consumers to identify female-created brands, and addressing confidence barriers among women entrepreneurs. ‘Confidence is a huge issue — women don’t feel they’ve got what it takes,’ she remarked, drawing attention to the broader implications of showcasing female success stories.
This initiative follows a broader trend in retail towards local and identity-based consumerism, as previously seen in supermarket campaigns encouraging ‘Buy British’. The focus on women-led brands is both a commercial strategy and a societal statement aimed at promoting gender equality in business.
By spotlighting female-founded brands, Ocado’s campaign aims to inspire future generations of women entrepreneurs.
