Spelman: Consumers are key to environmental progress

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Environment secretary Caroline Spelman has congratulated the retail sector for its ambitious environmental progress, but has said that reducing consumer impact will be a key demand for the sector moving forward.

Speaking at the parliamentary launch of the British Retail Consortium's environmental progress report, ‘A better retailing climate: towards sustainable retail', the environment secretary commended the retail sector for acknowledging that sustainability and growth go 'hand in hand'.

Spelman also said that both government and the retail sector have a responsibility to put sustainability at the heart of their decision-making if we are to build a "truly stable green economy".

Echoing the secretary of state, reception host Mark Spencer MP highlighted the important role the retail sector plays in 'bridging the gap' between primary producers and consumers and trying to reduce the impact that they have.

The report is the third in a series of progress reports from the BRC that looks at how the sector is holding up against a set of environmental commitments made in 2008.

Although behind on its target to reduce traditional grocery product and packaging waste in the grocery supply chain, it has exceeded its target on the amount of waste sent to landfill from 45 per cent in 2005 to 14 per cent in 2011.

BRC chairman, Rob Templeman informed the audience of retailers and parliamentarians how, since 2005, some of the signatories of the report have reported a 20 per cent cut in carbon emissions.

Andrew Wincott, head of sustainability in the Energy Sourcing and Customer Supply (ESCS) Business Unit at EDF Energy, said it was essential for businesses to continue to improve their environmental performance.

In difficult economic times when businesses are looking to reduce their bottom line, he pushed on the cost-cutting that can be made through energy savings, which can rank as a top-five or even a top-three cost of some of the largest retailers.

A number of the UK's leading retailers were exhibiting at the reception: Morrisons showcased its 'Let's grow' initiative which aims to reconnect children to food and nature and help them understand why it is that we need to move on to a sustainable footing.

High Street retailer Boots told of the development of its in-house sustainability impact assessment, whilst the Book Sellers' Association demonstrated a very simple greenhouse gas emissions reporting tool that will enable book sellers and businesses in the publishing sector to monitor their own impact and compare it to others in the sector.