LONDON, 2015-2-11 — /EPR Retail News/ — The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has today launched a new initiative to enable UK retailers to improve their energy efficiency, in turn driving down business costs and reducing the environmental impact of their operations.
With 25-in-5: Unlocking Energy Efficiency through Smart Regulation, the BRC aims to harness the experience, knowledge and best practices of its members, leading to the rapid deployment of low and zero carbon technologies right across the retail industry. With energy costs expected to increase significantly over the next five years, greater energy efficiency is vital for the long-term growth and viability of the industry, not to mention helping the fight against climate change. The BRC believes that a clearer and more accessible policy landscape can deliver great potential in energy efficiency for the future.
As outlined in 25-in-5, British retailers are already leading the way where it comes to energy efficiency, cutting down significantly on the environmental impact of their operations across a range of areas. Achievements to date include:
- A 33 per cent reduction in carbon emissions in stores between 2005 and 2012;
- A 27 per cent fall in carbon emissions resulting from store deliveries in the same period and,
- An overall drop in energy consumption from buildings of 50 per cent based on 2005 levels.
It is clear that further progress by Britain’s retailers will depend upon measures to simplify an overly complex, unwieldy and misaligned policy landscape which presents much uncertainly for companies, making it difficult for them to invest and bring about further efficiencies. The BRC believes that a range of small, but significant policy simplifications could lead to further improvements in energy efficiency across the retail industry, which will in turn help drive greater investment in green technologies to the benefit of the wider economy while also achieving significant steps towards climate change and energy security objectives.
BRC Director General Helen Dickinson said: “Energy and energy efficiency are of strategic importance to Britain’s retailers. Through our 25-in-5 campaign, we believe we can build on what has been done so far to help drive energy efficiency across the retail industry, allowing our members to benefit from significant energy cost savings while at the same time making a vital contribution to the UK’s climate change and energy security goals”.
ENDS
British Retail Consortium, 21 Dartmouth Street, Westminster, London, SW1H 9BP. 020 7854 8900. info@brc.org.uk.