Retailers could save billions by going green

The British retail sector could save an estimated £360 million every year by adopting simple measures to improve their resource efficiency.


According to research conducted for Envirowise, a Government-funded body set up to advise the business community, companies could make huge savings by accurately tracking their environmental performance and taking steps to improve it.

Adopting simple resource efficiency initiatives and accurately monitoring and measuring subsequent improvements is the key to unlocking ‘hidden profits’, says a report published by the body.

Its Environmental Strategic Review (ESR) Guide suggests the retail sector could cut its annual costs by £360 million by following the recommendations it contains, many of which have a broader relevance and will be of value to other businesses.

Elaine Sharp, spokesperson at Envirowise, said: “For a business to be truly competitive, it needs to improve its performance across all areas.

“As environmental regulations are more rigidly enforced and competitive pressures increase, failure to maximise the use of resources and to minimise waste could prove an expensive mistake for many companies.”

“The ESR Guide helps to demystify the process by providing simple, straightforward advice that will help businesses better understand where they are on the resource efficiency journey and enable them to take crucial steps towards making improvements and cost-savings.”

The ESR guide looks at how companies can adopt a systematic approach to reviewing resources and encourages businesses to consider adopting efficient environmental management systems.

The Environmental Strategic Review Guide can be downloaded free of charge from the Envirowise website.

David Gibbs

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