Going green could save retailers millions

The UK retail sector could save over £350 million every year by being environmentally friendly.

Sustainable business experts Envirowise said the money could be saved by putting in place simple procedures so that businesses use resources more efficiently.

Businesses should start by monitoring their environmental impact, and working out how much they could save if environmental procedures were introduced, Envirowise said.

Envirowise spokesperson Elaine Sharp 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.”

A new guide was released this week by Envirowise to help retail businesses ‘unlock hidden profits’ through sustainable business methods.

“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,” Sharp said.

Companies can download the guide free of charge from the Envirowise website.