Retail and wholesale
This environmental guidance is for anyone working in the retail and wholesale industry in the UK, including:
- food and drink retailers, eg bakeries, cafés, butchers, supermarkets, grocers, convenience stores and newsagents
- clothes and fashion retailers
- charity shops
- laundrettes and dry cleaners
- travel agents
- hairdressers
- garden centres, home improvement and DIY stores
- coffee shops
- petrol service stations
- market traders
- online and catalogue retail businesses.
Find out how to minimise the environmental impacts of your retail business and raise your customers’ awareness of recycling and environmental issues.
Environmental impacts of retail and wholesale businesses
Retailers and wholesalers can have a number of impacts on the environment.
Examples include:
- air emissions from heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in shops and warehouses, and your distribution and transport network
- energy consumption from store lighting, chilling and refrigeration systems, heating and from distribution transport
- land contamination from accidental spills of fuels, oils and chemicals and, potentially, the past use of the site
- noise pollution from car parks or deliveries to a warehouse or store
- light pollution from night security lighting
- waste minimisation and disposal such as food waste, damaged goods, packaging waste, waste electrical and electronic equipment or old shop furniture and fittings
- water pollution from unauthorised discharges, eg from catering facilities, contaminated run-off from car parks or storing cleaning or chemical products.
How can NetRegs help you?
Our guidance could help you to:
- avoid prosecution and receive fewer visits from environmental regulators
- increase efficiency and productivity
- reduce your operating costs
- be more likely to obtain business from government bodies and large businesses that require their business partners to manage their environmental impacts effectively
- improve your reputation amongst staff, customers and the public
- increase the chance of securing funding to expand your business by demonstrating that your environmental impacts are well managed.
Sign up to NetRegs email updates to keep up to date on new environmental regulations. Select your business type to receive updates tailored for you.
Other relevant NetRegs guidance
If you run a restaurant, see our guidance for hospitality businesses.
If you repair vehicles, see our guidance for vehicle repair and maintenance businesses.
If you run a high street pharmacy, see our guidance for dispensing pharmacies.
If you manufacture products, check our A-Z of businesses to find the most relevant guidance for your business.
For information on logistics, see our rail and road transport guidance.
