Retailers can no longer ignore consumers’ demand for improved sustainability initiatives. From consumer lawsuits to national news headlines calling out failed e๏ฌorts and empty promises, retail leaders are feeling the pressure to reduce the $2 billion in waste they generate each year, but they might not have a baseline for how to do so.
For years, grocers have been in the spotlight for their food waste and plastic bags. Recent studies show that 71% of grocers are now prioritizing sustainability, with 83% of grocery leaders speci๏ฌcally targeting waste reduction. Now itโs retailersโ turn to act.
Retailers should prioritize the same sustainability priorities grocers did to ensure their initiatives are coming to fruition and long lasting.
1. Data: Track and Analyze Store Waste
The integration of data analytics has empowered food stores to combat waste by identifying and addressing ine๏ฌciencies. Store waste analytics collects and records information about products, materials and resources that are discarded, damaged, expired or returned. It can separate the information by quantities, types, categories, locations and costs of waste to measure the impact of waste on a storeโs performance.
By evaluating waste patterns, retailers can uncover opportunities to process their waste in ways that are more e๏ฌcient and lead to greater land๏ฌll diversion. Like grocers, other retailers are dealing with more waste streams that can be uniquely processed and may require speci๏ฌc handling to meet compliance requirements. The complexities of todayโs retail waste require a commitment to sustainability, but those e๏ฌorts will drive meaningful results that will attract the eyes of investors and consumers.
Data analytics can also aid the following areas of a retailerโs operations:
โ Improve e๏ฌciency and cost management: Data highlights the quantities and types of waste a business generates, which can inform what size equipment and schedule is ideal for an operation. For example, if a dumpster is too big or services are scheduled too frequently, a retailer may be overspending on waste management. Investing in better reporting tools can uncover both cost savings and operational e๏ฌciencies.
โ Get ahead of Scope 3 carbon emissions regulations: Scope 3 emissions account for 90% to 98% of retailersโ greenhouse gas emissions, according to the National Retail Federation. Because of the vast footprint and association with other brands, retailers may be required to start reporting their sustainability numbers. With the stakes so high, why not leverage the power of data analytics to get ahead and proactively clean up operations to help close the gap on scope 3 emissions?
2. Transparency: Build Trust and Avoid Greenwashing
A 2022 Fast Company study found that 68% of company owners admit their business is guilty of greenwashing, a marketing gimmick intended to mislead customers who purchase services and products from environmentally conscious brands.
For example, a store could claim that product packaging is entirely recyclable. The company wants to appear to care about the environment while increasing its pro๏ฌt margins. However, while the product may be 100% recyclable, most of the marketplace doesnโt have a collection system to allow it to be captured correctly. So, in reality, itโs going to the land๏ฌll.
With todayโs increased scrutiny and prevalence of sustainability, itโs all the more important to ensure what retailerโs claims hold merit.
Brands that donโt focus on transparency risk being called out or could see shoppers switching to brands with more detailed, less convoluted labels. Retailers have an opportunity to educate the public and communicate sustainability to win consumer loyalty. Clear, transparent and auditable data can keep the trust intact.
Thatโs easier said than done, of course. Supply chains are highly complex systems. But with an integrated approach that gathers data that backs and tracks, transparency will translate to proof and trust.
3. Expert Guidance: Seek Counsel to Interpret Data and Proactively Adjust Best Practices
Data sits at the heart of every enterprise โ available to guide decisions, optimize operations and facilitate top-shelf customer experiences. However, many decision-makers may not know how to interpret and utilize their data.
Waste service providers can help retailers navigate the complex web of environmental regulations and adapt to volume ๏ฌuxes. In turn, retail leaders can focus on their core business needs while still minimizing environmental impacts, maximizing their pro๏ฌtability and promoting their notable sustainability e๏ฌorts.
Without the proper waste management, retailers experience:
โ Added employee responsibilities that require management oversight, additional training time and might not be adequately followed
โ Time spent away from storefront operations
โ Inadequate understanding of seasonal waste volume changes and how to adapt
โ Limited knowledge of all federal/state/local compliance requirements
โ Unnecessary waste or sustainability initiative spend that isnโt achieving results
A waste management partner can mitigate these obstacles by analyzing data to optimize ordering and stocking and create improved shipping practices to reduce excess emissions.
Grocers have been using such strategies for years, demonstrating that an enterpriseโs bottom line can help boost operational e๏ฌciency, improve customer loyalty, and build a more sustainable future. Retailers should strongly consider adopting these same practices.
Ray Hatch has served as President and CEO of Quest Resource Management Group (NASDAQ:QRHC) since February 2016. Heโs a senior executive with 25 years of in-depth experience in waste management and food services industries that generated more than a billion dollars in revenue. Quest, a national provider of waste and recycling services, uses deep expertise to build single-source, client-speci๏ฌc solutions to address a wide variety of waste streams and recyclables across multiple industry sectors. Quest also provides information and data that tracks and reports the environmental results of Questโs services and provides actionable data to improve business operations.
