MediaMarktSaturn BetterWay for CE-Brands
Your Playbook for Sustainable Retail Success.
MediaMarktSaturn's BetterWay label is built on three criteria: Type 1 ecolabels (EPEAT, TCO, Blue Angel, TÜV), BetterWay Energy Efficiency standards developed with TÜV Rheinland, and a Repairability Index covering smartphones and beyond. A product without at least one qualifying pillar is increasingly excluded from the BetterWay range — and with BetterWay now integrated into MMS's placement and promotional planning, that exclusion has direct commercial consequences.
We have guided CE brands through the BetterWay qualification process and the buyer conversations that follow. The consistent pattern: brands that arrive with a mapped certification gap and a credible timeline move faster through the process. Brands that wait for a buyer to raise it as a barrier start the conversation behind.
What follows is the practical sequence — criteria, portfolio analysis, retail execution — and what BetterWay's expansion across Fnac, Currys, and Coolblue means for brands building EMEA retail positions now.
Step 1: Understand the BetterWay Criteria
The BetterWay label is MMS's in-house sustainability badge, built on three main pillars:
▸Type 1 ecolabels (e.g. EPEAT, TCO, Blue Angel, TÜV)
▸BetterWay Energy Efficiency Criteria (developed with TÜV Rheinland for large domestic appliances)
▸Repairability Index (for smartphones and more)
The focus: longer product lifetime, lower energy consumption, and circularity.
Step 2: Align Your Product Strategy
Which products in your portfolio can realistically meet these criteria? We help you:
▸Perform a SKU-level analysis of your full product range
▸Audit existing certifications, energy data, and materials used
▸Identify which products need optimization and which are ready now
▸Recommend communication improvements to highlight existing sustainability credentials
Step 3: Execute with Retail Precision
We have taken brands through the BetterWay qualification process and into the first buyer conversation. The consistent pattern: brands that arrive with a mapped certification gap and a credible timeline move faster through the process than those waiting for the buyer to raise it.
▸Retail Pitching: We craft compelling product stories that resonate with MMS buyers, connecting sustainability credentials to commercial value
▸Placement Strategy: Get BetterWay items into the right store clusters and online placement positions
▸Omnichannel Execution: Drive visibility both in-store and on the MMS digital platform
▸Staff Training: Ensure retail staff understand and can communicate your BetterWay story at point of sale
▸Performance Tracking: Monitor BetterWay item sell-through against non-certified equivalents
Why It Matters Beyond MMS
The BetterWay framework reflects a broader shift in European retail. Across Fnac, Currys, Coolblue, and major online channels, sustainability credentials are increasingly becoming a listing requirement — not just a differentiator.
BetterWay is now integrated into MMS placement and promotional planning. A product without a qualifying pillar is excluded from the BetterWay range — which means excluded from the promotional positioning that carries 35% of annual TCG revenue.
At nonplusultra, we've guided multiple CE brands through the BetterWay process and broader European sustainability retail requirements. Our combination of retail strategy expertise and on-the-ground execution covers the full path from certification gap to shelf performance.