Retail

Decarbonising the high street and beyond

Despite the mounting pressure from changing consumer behaviours, the energy crisis and supply chain issues, the retail sector continues to serve their customers.

While the role of online retail grows, so have the costs impacting physical high street and out-of-town locations. Central to the communities they serve, retailers are also in full shop window view when it comes to decarbonisation.

Utilities management presents both a challenge and opportunity for retailers with a large portfolio of sites. Sustainable buildings form the cornerstone of energy efficiency for businesses and societal emissions reductions as the UK prepares for net-zero.

However, managing multiple locations without a coherent strategy or specialist tools can lead to issues with billing, budgets, regulatory compliance, cost recovery and more.

Awareness around sustainability matters is growing and retail is one of the forefront sectors experiencing the changing consumer landscape. Sustainable retail initiatives such as bans on single-use plastic bags and the increase in use of recycled materials have been almost universally welcomed by customers.

Customers, employees and other key stakeholders will continue to expect more sustainability efforts from companies. An increasingly punitive compliance framework will also bolster requirements for businesses to monitor their emissions, cut down energy consumption and improve efficiency.