Five Simple Retail Changes that Can Help Eco-friendly Causes

The following are five simple retail changes that can help eco-friendly causes.

Retail Solution 1: Do not Print Receipts and Do Not Require Receipts for Returns
On average, each American receives 10 receipts a day for their daily transactions. This translates to millions of sheets of paper being printed and tossed each year. So, retail companies should not automatically print receipts and also not require any receipts for returns or refunds. We live in the electronic computer age in which any transaction can be retrieved readily without any receipt required.

Retail Solution 2: Do not Automatically Offer any Plastic or Paper Brings for Purchase Items
Retail companies can save millions of dollars a year by asking consumers whether they would want a bag for their purchase instead of automatically giving each consumer a bag with their purchase. In most cases, consumers can combine their multiple purchases in a single bag, saving the environment from tons of unnecessary plastics filling up landfills.

Retail Solution 3: Stop Printing Dates in Sale Signs
Retail companies periodically offer sales throughout the year. They should be able to show their sales via a simple reusable system (similar to what gas stations use for displaying their gas prices) instead of custom printing sale signs to be tossed after their three or five day timeframe.

Retail Solution 4: Stop Having Clothing Care Information Tags Included in each clothing article
Everyone has access to the internet, so just list an unique code on the single tag that the consumer can enter into a website to obtain clothing care information. When over 70% of clothing articles are machine washable, do we all really need a tag telling us that information? These tags are usually cut away within minutes of purchase. What kind of damage is that doing to our environment?

Retail Solution 5: Reduce Unnecessary Packaging from Suppliers
Have you ever seen a store clerk shelf items onto shelves in the retail stores? These items are wrapped in so much bubble wrapping, plastic and cardboard boxes. The question for packaging engineers is can you design a packaging system that uses substantially less packaging without jeopardizing the shipment? This should be an annual goal incorporated in each retail company's supplier agreement.

These great retail changes will not only revolutionize the way retail companies run, they will start making the average consumer think more about living a more eco-friendly way of life.