- More than 11bn paper receipts produced annually in the UK, generating more than 28,000 tonnes of CO2e
- Over half of UK shoppers want the option to refuse a paper receipt
- 53pc want retailers to reduce the amount of paper they waste on receipts
- River Island, Holland & Barrett and Dunelm pledge their support
The UK’s retailers commit to #BeatTheReceipt’s Paperless Pledge, to reduce the amount of paper wasted in retail. The campaign is being supported by the British Retail Consortium, British Independent Retailers Association and the Association of Convenience Stores, who are encouraging their members to sign the pledge.
River Island, Holland & Barrett and Dunelm have become the first retailers to sign the pledge, and now act as industry leaders for sustainable practice on the high-street.
By signing the pledge, retailers commit to making paper receipts fully optional in their stores by 2023. Currently, most tills will automatically print a paper receipt, regardless of whether the customer wants or needs one. #BeatTheReceipt is calling on retailers to turn off automatic printing before 2023, and only print one when requested.
This call follows research conducted by The Carbon Trust, which found that each paper receipt emits 2.5g CO2e on average during its lifetime when landfilled at its end of life. This shows the scale of the problem in the UK, where over 30million receipts are printed every day.
Alongside this, #BeatTheReceipt found that over half (51%) of UK shoppers now want the option to refuse a paper receipt at the checkout, with 53% saying that retailers should try to reduce the amount of paper they waste on receipts. In addition to this, the study revealed that 45% of 18-34 year olds’ now base shopping decisions on the sustainability credentials of the retailer. The survey also discovered that most customers will only require a paper receipt when the value of their shopping exceeds £25.50.
The campaign launched in 2018 and has a mission to educate the public and encourage retailers to be more sustainable. The campaign echoes recent law changes in France, which will phase optional paper receipts from September this year, with an absolute ban on automatic printing from 2023.
Samantha Lind, campaigner at Beat The Receipt, said: “Paper receipts account for tens of thousands of tonnes of carbon emissions every single year, and most of them end up straight in the bin. This is the retail industry’s ‘plastic straw’ moment, we’ve woken up to the damage we’re doing to the environment and it’s time for drastic change.
“Customers want it, the retail industry can benefit from it, and our planet needs it.
“With legislation and public sentiment changing, and sustainability at the forefront of minds, it’s time for retailers in the UK to unite in support of the Paperless Pledge and help Beat the Receipt.”
Peter Andrews, Head of Sustainability Policy at British Retail Consortium, said: “The BRC supports the objectives of the #BeatTheReceipt campaign and its potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This is another step in the industry’s fight to reach Net Zero by 2040.
“The BRC is eager to work with its membership to address the practicalities of ensuring consumers can continue to exercise their consumer rights to refund and repair without the requirement for paper receipts.”
John Halliday, Membership Director at the British Independent Retailers Association, said: “We’re excited to back the Beat the Receipt campaign as it’s crucial that businesses and consumers understand the impact that unnecessary receipts have on the environment. By making printed receipts optional by default, not only are you doing your bit for our planet, but you are saving on your own costs, letting your customers know you are striving towards sustainability and opening up new opportunities, like email marketing, to engage with your customers.”
The drive is also being supported by Barclays, who is providing retailers with a way to #BeatTheReceipt by becoming part of its digital receipt offering.
The Carbon Trust research also looked at digital alternatives to paper, which when using renewables in production managed to reduce the receipt’s total carbon footprint. The digital receipt showed a footprint of 1.52 gCO2e with data centres powered by 75% renewables and an even lower footprint of 0.12g CO2e with data centres powered by 100% renewables.
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