Missguided, New Look join Better Retail Better World initiative

UK retailers have been making huge progress in reducing their impact on the environment, according to the British Retail Consortium.

Almost 30 retailers, including Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and John Lewis, have signed up to the Better Retail Better World initiative, in order to meet some of the biggest global challenges of the coming decades highlighted by the UN, including modern slavery and decent work, sustainable economic growth, inequalities, climate change and responsible consumption and production. The latest firms to join include Missguided and New Look.

Carbon emissions were reduced 36% in absolute terms, surpassing the 2020 target of 25%. Relative to shop floorspace, carbon emissions from stores, and energy-related carbon emissions from store deliveries were down 67% and 47% respectively. Efforts to tackle carbon reduction include the use of biofuels and renewable energy across the supply chain. Many retailers have set their own targets to bring down their carbon use.

However, other areas, such as transport emissions and greenhouse gases from refrigeration, continue to need more work. “We are facing a climate emergency; it is ever more important for businesses to unite to tackle these global challenges. While we can see significant progress being made, we should not underestimate the scale of the challenge before us,” says Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium.

“The public want to know that the food they eat, the clothes they wear and the goods they buy, are ethically made and responsibly sourced. Better Retail Better World brings together retailers to collaboratively play their part in creating a sustainable future.”

Nitin Passi, Founder and CEO at Missguided, comments: “Collaboration between retailers to deliver on UN Sustainable Development Goals and address the challenges our industry faces in sustainability, ethical supply chains, and workers’ rights, is more than just vital – it’s the only way to bring real, lasting change. That’s why we’re committed to the Better Retail Better World initiative so we can make progress together. And because we know that’s important to our customers, it makes it important to us.”