Progression, not perfection

Last year, Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I (SBF GB&I) worked with Derbyshire retailer Amit Patel to help him improve the sustainability of his store.

Over the course of a year, SBF GB&I made changes that helped Amit himself save more than £600 – savings that, if carried forward across the channel, could save convenience stores more than £16m a year. Key to the changes we made was that being more sustainable isn’t always about investing many thousands of pounds. Small changes can make a big difference, and progression, not perfection, should be the aim of every business starting their sustainability journey.

Patel told his story to a group of independent convenience retailers last year at an event in London, in association with betterRetaling.com’s publisher, Newtrade Media. The event was advising retailers on how to run a more sustainable business.

With energy costs rising rapidly, the need to save money wherever possible has never been greater. Cutting energy bills is necessary for cashflow as well as the environment.

SBF GB&I asked those retailers who heard Amit speak to make their own pledges. Most recently, SBF GB&I spoke with Jack Matthews, of Bradley’s Supermarket in Quorn, Leicestershire.

He said: “We’ve made several larger steps across the business. Towards the end of last year, we purchased a fully electric van, so for all our home deliveries and trips to wholesalers we’re now using the electric vehicle, which has saved us costs throughout the business but has also helped us improve from an environmental standpoint.

“We’re also currently trialling a craft paper sleeve for the breads we bake in-store rather than in the plastic bags we were using before, so hopefully making a positive impact with little steps at a time.”

To find out more about Jack’s pledge, view the video below.