Packaging and Waste Management
Carrier bags: Every year we use some 70 million carrier bags to wrap customers’ purchases. Since the middle of 2007 the plastic content of our carrier bags is 100% recycled material. We are aiming to reduce their impact on the environment further by signing up to the voluntary DEFRA initiative to cut carrier bags usage by 20% by the end of 2008. This involves simple initiatives such as training staff to ask customers if they need a bag rather than automatically giving one. We are also trialling reusable cotton bags in a variety of designs, priced £1 and £2.50, in a small number of stores. We have also commenced a carrier bag charging trial in three stores.
Product packaging: as well as recycled carrier bags, we are introducing recycled packaging for a number of product lines; from lingerie, where recycled material is used in bra packs, to gift cards, where the “Green Edition” card was launched in July 2007 which is made from 100% recycled material and is chlorine free.
Hangers: in a Debenhams store around 80% of our products are displayed on plastic hangers. Where we cannot reuse hangers in store, we aim to recycle all hangers so they can be remade into new ones rather than be sent to landfill.
Distribution Centres: all cardboard and plastic produced through the DC operations is baled and sent for recycling. Centralised recycling points are in place in each DC to collect paper, plastic and cans for recycling and waste bins have been removed from most of the office spaces. In total, 97% of DC waste is recycled.
Store waste: an increasing number of stores backhaul all cardboard and plastic waste to our distribution centre in Peterborough which then sends it onwards for recycling. Previously such waste would have been sent to landfill. We are undertaking an in-depth review of the waste produced by one store to identify what is currently thrown away and how waste can be reduced, reused and recycled. The findings of this review will be used to develop a programme which will be implemented in all stores.
Transit packaging: over the last few years we have removed tonnes of unnecessary packaging from our supply chain. Primarily aimed at reducing our environmental impact and improving business efficiencies, we have again driven down our contribution to landfill and eliminated materials that cannot be recycled.
Head office: A number of recycling schemes are in place for our head office operations which all head office staff have access to. These include facilities for the recycling of clean white paper and for mixed waste such as cardboard, used stationery, newspapers and magazines, cans, glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles and sandwich containers.
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