From supermarkets to clothing stores, retailers across the country produce large volumes of waste every single day. As a result, effective and economical waste management is necessary within the industry, especially for businesses trying to reduce their environmental impact.
Therefore, if you are a business manager or own your shop and are looking to reduce or better manage your waste – you’re in luck. At Divert, we’ve got years of industry experience that we can use to help you get to grips with your waste.
A big bin, 4 wheels suitable to hold 10 - 12 bags. Can come with a lock
Learn moreEach retailer will produce different types of waste, depending upon the products they have on offer. However, the average retailer will produce the following forms of waste:
Packaging Waste.
Packing Waste is the most common form of waste produced within a retail venue. After all, just about every product we buy – from food to electrical goods- comes in some form of packaging. Typically, the packaging waste produced within retail venues is made from plastic or cardboard.
Food Waste.
Retailers such as grocery stores and supermarkets also produce large volumes of food waste. This is often due to over-stocking, meaning that products are not sold before their expiry date and must therefore be disposed of accordingly.
Glass Waste.
Some food products, such as sauces and dressings, are stored in glass containers. Therefore, when expired, these products must also be disposed of accordingly.
Paper Waste.
Retailers also produce large volumes of paper waste, namely in the form of receipts or product pamphlets and advertisements. However, in recent years, there has been a push towards going paperless where possible.
Plastic Waste.
As mentioned previously, the vast majority of plastic waste produced by retailers comes in the form of packaging. However, retailers also produce large volumes of plastic waste in the form of carrier bags. In fact, in 2019 alone, 2.1 billion plastic bags were sold at supermarkets in the UK.
To store waste effectively, retailers should ensure that their waste is kept away from the general public in an area where no unauthorised personnel can gain access to it. As the majority of waste produced in shops is non-hazardous, its storage is relatively straightforward. At Divert, we can provide you with a variety of free bins and containers to manage your retail waste. This includes:
240L Retail Bins.
360L Retail Bins.
660L Retail Bins.
1100L Retail Bins.
Balers and Compactors.
The above bins can be colour coordinated to ensure that you can separate your recyclables from your food waste. They are also secure and lockable, minimising the chances of cross-contaminated occurring.
As a retail business owner, there are various steps you can take to reduce the amount of waste you produce.
Monitor your stock accordingly, ensuring that you do not purchase products that are not being sold.
Study changes in consumer behaviour so that you can get a better handle on your stock. For example, the products bought in excess in summer will likely dip in popularity during winter.
Source sustainable packaging for your products. For example, fruit and veg can be bought without any packaging, as they will be washed before use.
Turn down single-use plastics.
Provide employees with access to recycling bins and containers.
Go paperless where possible. For example, you could email customers their receipt as opposed to handing them a paper copy.
Donate products that have reached their sell-by (but not use-by) dates to local charities or food banks.
According to a recent report from the Independent, retailers throw away the equivalent of 190 million meals each year. This fact is particularly staggering when we consider how many people go without food in the UK and beyond.
Each year, we produce around 2.2 million tonnes of packaging waste in the UK alone.
In 2015, the government announced that plastic bags would now come with a 5p charge. Since this date, the sales of single-use carrier bags have dropped by an impressive 95%.
How Can Divert Help?
At Divert, we’re always on hand to help companies large and small deal with their waste. Benefits of working alongside Divert include:
