Retail & Services Medium-Sized Company Sustainability Guides

For medium-sized shops, salons, offices and service businesses

Main focus

Retail and service businesses often waste money through lighting, heating, stock, packaging, returns, deliveries and inefficient daily systems. The best opportunities come from stock control, energy management and better customer-facing operations.

Start with your biggest costs

Review costs across:

• Energy bills

• Stock and unsold products

• Packaging

• Deliveries

• Heating and lighting

• Returns and damaged goods

Identify the top two areas where cost is increasing.

Reduce energy use

Key actions

• Use LED lighting across sales floors, offices and storage areas.

• Turn off displays, signs and screens after closing.

• Use heating and cooling controls properly.

• Keep doors closed when heating or cooling is on.

• Review opening and closing energy checklists.

• Use smart meters or bill tracking where possible.

Improve stock control

Key actions

• Track slow-moving stock.

• Avoid over-ordering seasonal products.

• Use sales data before buying new stock.

• Reduce damaged stock through better storage.

• Review return rates and common causes.

• Create a markdown or redistribution plan for old stock.

Good practice

Set a monthly review:

Which products are not selling, and why?

Reduce packaging and waste

Key actions

• Ask suppliers to reduce unnecessary packaging.

• Reuse delivery boxes where possible.

• Offer digital receipts if suitable.

• Recycle cardboard, paper and plastics correctly.

• Reduce single-use items in customer areas.

Improve service operations

Key actions

• Create simple opening and closing procedures.

• Train staff to check lights, heating and stock areas.

• Review delivery routes or collection schedules.

• Reduce unnecessary printing.

• Use digital booking, stock or payment systems where helpful.

Customer communication

Retail and service companies can use simple, honest messages.

Examples

• “We are reducing packaging waste.”

• “We offer digital receipts.”

• “We review stock carefully to reduce waste.”

• “We use energy-saving lighting.”

What to track

Area	What to measure
Energy	monthly bills and usage
Stock	slow-moving or unsold stock
Waste	packaging waste
Returns	return rate and reasons
Operations	checklist completion

First 30 days

1. Review energy use after closing.

2. Identify the top 10 slow-moving products.

3. Ask suppliers about packaging options.

4. Introduce a staff closing checklist.

5. Track one cost-saving action each week.