Retail stores generate a lot of waste – it’s unavoidable. A lot of waste also means a lot of work to dispose of it. Finding the right waste management solution is important for retail businesses, both for the ecological benefits and because consumers are increasingly looking to shop at establishments that are eco-friendly.
Waste management starts much sooner than disposal; retail stores should proactively look to reduce waste at the source. To help you do this, we’ve gathered some of our top tips to help your retail business manage waste effectively.
Reduce Packaging Waste
The benefits of reducing packaging are twofold. The most obvious benefit is that you produce less waste. In addition to this, consumers feel like their purchase is more valuable, as packaging is often perceived to inflate prices (even if it makes very little difference).
Improved packaging design will help to minimise the quantity of material needed, while still providing the requisite protection. Even a small reduction in packaging per product can make a huge difference when you consider how many thousands of products are being shipped.
Many retail stores are asking customers if they would be happy having products delivered in reused packaging. In doing so, you might even be able to pass on savings to customers!
Encourage Reusable Bags
While there has been a big shift to reusable carrier bags over the last few years, retail stores are under increasing pressure to further encourage bags for life. Carrier bags make up for a large percentage of retail waste – rewarding customers for bringing their own bags can save money in the long run, too!
Lower Food Waste
Tonnes of food is wasted every single year by the UK retail industry. While some waste is inevitable, many retailers are taking steps to prevent excessive waste.
Much of the waste food is perfectly useable but doesn’t meet presentation standards. Donating to charities, community groups and colleagues is a perfect, philanthropic way to reduce food waste. Even small changes can make a big impact over time.
Reduce Delivery Waste
When delivering to customers, more waste will be produced in extra bags, boxes and more. Delivery waste works both ways – more waste for the consumer and for the retailer to deal with. Many retailers who offer delivery services are offering bag buy-back schemes, encouraging customers to return bags from previous deliveries.
Alternatively, many retailers choose to offer bagless delivery options (where applicable).
Train Staff
A lot of retail waste is produced by the workforce. Ensuring that every member of staff is on the same page is important when improving waste management operations.
Bins
Giving clear instructions on how to dispose of a variety of items, and providing correctly labelled (colour-coded), conveniently positioned recycling bins is key when looking to reduce waste.
Bringing Food from Home
Encouraging (and financially compensating) staff to bring food from home in reusable plastic containers can greatly decrease the waste that your facility produces.
Warehouse Staff Waste
Ensuring that warehouse staff have the training and capability to use reusable packaging is important.
- Discourage single-use boxes.
- Reduce shrink wrap usage (shrink wrap is easily recyclable, but prevention is better than cure!).
- Efficient use of tape for binding, wrapping and affixing items.
Ask your Staff for Ideas
Many of your members of staff will have spotted perfect opportunities for your business to reduce waste – ask around to hear their good suggestions.
Upgrade Inventory Systems
Lots of businesses are utilising advanced automation and software technologies that have improved scaled inventory management across SKUs in retail. Retailers can input their store layout, allowing stores to receive deliveries already in shelf order. This makes it possible for staff to move products directly from distribution warehouses to the retail floor.
Investing in new technologies can reduce the excess handling of possibly fragile goods. Less handling means you’re less likely to have breakages; fewer breakages means less waste! While these technologies are still fledging, they promise to have a big impact on retail businesses worldwide.
Partnering with Green Suppliers
Reducing waste starts at the source. By partnering with established green suppliers, or by supporting your current suppliers to reduce their packaging, retailers can begin to tackle the problem at the source.
Many farmers & suppliers will find themselves with surplus supply. Bigger retailers have been working with farmers to divert surplus away from waste streams and encouraging it to go to food charities instead. By supporting suppliers, retailers can gradually decrease waste before products arrive at stores.
Retail Business Waste Management with Great Western Recycling
Despite all your best efforts, retail businesses will always produce waste. Minimising & sorting waste goes a long way to protecting the environment and saving money in the long term. At Great Western Recycling, we understand the importance of maintaining fantastic waste management processes.
Whether you’re a small retailer or a large chain, we offer a range of waste management and recycling services, ad hoc collections, long-term solutions and tailored zero waste to landfill packages to businesses of all sizes.
Contact us today to chat with our friendly experts for further advice on how you can streamline your retail waste management processes, reduce costs, remain compliant and minimise your carbon footprint.