From growing your green customer base to growing your bottom line, the benefits of going green make it a great strategy for any retail store. Eco-friendly retailing practices can help your business stand out in your community, all while lowering your overhead costs and creating a healthier space for your customers and staff.
1. Save Money on Lighting
Whether you own or rent your store’ s space, thinking about your store’ s lighting can have a major impact on your utility bill( and on your environmental footprint.)
Consider this: energy efficient options like Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs( CFLs) and Light-Emitting Diodes( LEDs) use up to 75 % less energy than traditional incandescent lighting. CFLs last up to 10 times as long as incandescent bulbs, while LEDs last 50 times as long! This all adds up to a lot of money saved on your utility costs( and also less time wasted with replacing old lighting.) Energy-efficient lighting comes in a full range of colors, shapes and sizes, including dimmable and outdoor options, so you won’ t need to compromise on your customers’ shopping experience when you make the switch.
2. Save Money on Water
The flow rate on most public bathroom faucets is 2.2 gallons per minute! Here are a few ideas for conserving water at the faucets in your store bathroom, and reducing your water bill:
• A low-flow aerator helps to manage the amount of water that comes out of a sink, but it doesn’ t change the water pressure or affect the feel of the water flow. This is a cheap, quick, and effective solution that can save you 50-75 % on each sink’ s water use.
• An instant-off water saver on the other hand can save up to 10,000 gallons of water per year by eliminating the waste of unused running water. It also reduces the spread of infection and simplifies sink use since there is no need to adjust the faucet handles once it’ s set up.
3. Reduce Waste, Save Money
Containers and packaging account for roughly 31 % of the waste created in the U. S. today! More and more businesses have found that cutting down on packaging can help a store’ s bottom line. Here are just a few of ideas to consider for reducing waste and saving money:
• Think about eliminating paper and plastic singleuse bags from your store, or offering a discount to shoppers who use reusable eco bags with your company logo.
• Ask yourself if any of your products can be sold in bulk, or with less packaging.
• If your store offers ready-to-eat food, also think about providing biodegradable plates, bowls, and cups. Quality alternatives( like sugarcane-based or corn-based products) are as durable as the usual Styrofoam, plastic or paper products, and they can be used with hot or cold foods. Your customers will appreciate helping them to reduce their waste, and you’ ll eliminate many of the environmental health concerns that surround traditional products like BPA( a chemical linked to a number of serious health issues) in plastic cups and bleaches in paper plates.
4. A“ Green Clean” Means Healthier Employees
Of the roughly |
17,000 chemicals used |
in cleaning |
products, only about |
30 % have |
been fully tested |
for |
health effects. The
“ volatile organic compounds”
( VOCs) released by many cleaners are particles that can reduce indoor air quality, triggering asthma or allergies. Other ingredients in many traditional cleaners have been linked to everything from headaches to cancers! To protect your employees, your customers and yourself:
• Always check cleaning product labels for known hazards, and study warning labels carefully.
• Switch to non-toxic cleaning alternatives. Enzyme cleaners are a safe and effective solution.
5. Better Air Quality = Happier Customers
Customers won’ t flock to a space that smells like strong chemical cleaners or sickly-sweet air fresheners.
• A few carefully placed indoor plants can vastly improve indoor air-quality without hurting the look and feel of your store.
• Choose soy-based candles or use natural air fresheners to give your store a signature scent.
• Remember that regular maintenance for your AC system pays off! Check your system’ s air filters once a month and clean or replace the filter when necessary to prevent mold, dust, and allergens from building up.
When you take steps to improve indoor air quality, your employees and customers may not be able to pinpoint what’ s different about the store, but they’ ll certainly be able to breathe easier.
6. Attract and Retain High Quality Customers
Aside from financial savings, health benefits, and environmental improvements there’ s another big advantage to going green: attracting eco-minded consumers!
Green customers are a growing segment of the consumer market, and they are also among the least sensitive to premium prices. When surveyed, 80 % of such consumers said that they would pay a premium of 20 % for green products and services, and 76 % would switch brands or retailers to one associated with a good cause when price and quality are equal.
An eco-friendly store will help develop an emotional connection between you and your green customers. Your existing customers will feel even better about shopping with you, and new customers will appreciate your store’ s commitment to responsible environmental citizenship.
You won’ t redefine your brand or attract a better class of customer overnight. But by taking small steps, and celebrating your successes, you’ ll help protect both your profits and the planet.
7. Going Green Gives You Something to“ Crow” About
Going green is a great opportunity to reduce your environmental footprint, build a green retail business, and turn your store into a safer, more welcoming space. Yet your eco-friendly changes won’ t build your brand unless consumers know about them! Publicize your eco-friendly measures with a press release, a sign at your register, in your email newsletters, on your product labels, and the social media.
There you have it— great reasons you should introduce eco-saving ideas to your retail store! It’ s better for your bank account, better for your marketing, better for your staff, better for your customers, and better for our planet.
By: Rosamaria Caballero Stafford, co-founder of Green Irene, a company dedicated to greening our world one home and one green retail business at a time.
Source: www. whizbangtraining. com / green-retail-business /
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The Philippine Retailing is the official quarterly newsletter of the Philippine Retailers Association with office at 2607 / 2610 Jollibee Plaza F. Ortigas Jr. Road( formerly Emerald Ave.) Ortigas Center, Pasig City, Philippines
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PHILIPPINE RETAILING EDITORIAL TEAM
BM Miranda Circulation Manager
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Paul Payongayong Graphic Designer
Darrell Wisbey | CDM Program | Chris Dingcong Contributors