Over the last several years, sustainability in retail has grown from an important talking point into an essential part of every company’s strategy. It’s a change that’s been largely driven by consumer sentiment, with more and more modern customers not only wanting to buy sustainable products, but wanting to buy them from retailers with strong environmental credentials.

The pressure is on companies to respond to this change and embrace sustainability, but in a way that’s transparent, authentic and answers consumer needs. In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at sustainability in the retail space, explore why attitudes have changed and investigate the steps retailers can take to become more sustainable.

How have consumer attitudes toward sustainability changed?

While there’s always been a subset of consumers that sought sustainable alternatives and favoured companies with strong ethical reputations, these sentiments have become significantly more mainstream in the last few years.

The 2022 Deloitte survey on consumer attitudes revealed that 64% of consumers had limited their use of single-use plastic in the last 12 months (an increase of 3 percentage points on 2021).

59% of respondents had reduced the amount of new products and goods they’d bought (+ 20 pp), while 40% had chosen brands that had environmentally sustainable practices/values (+ 6 pp).

Other areas of significant growth included opting for low carbon emission and/or shared modes of transport (30%, + 11 pp) and choosing brands that had ethical practices/values (37%, + 7 pp).

What makes this shift in attitude particularly interesting is that it may not have been a conscious choice for many consumers in the beginning. As the Deloitte survey observes, the restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic saw people using transport less, shopping more locally and shopping more seasonally – all activities that led to a more sustainable lifestyle by default.

This trend of real-world events shaping customer behaviour continued in 2022, with disrupted supply chains and the cost of living crisis leading consumers to search for various creative ways to spend less.

For example, 53% of respondents reported that they had repaired or fixed an item instead of replacing it with a brand new equivalent one, and 40% had bought second-hand or refurbished items.

But whatever the reasons behind the shift in the consumer mindset, it’s clear that retailers are facing growing expectations from their customers that need to be addressed. However, while it’s easy to argue that retailers simply need to champion sustainability in order to respond to these expectations, the reality of the situation is a little more complicated.

What challenges are retailers facing in terms of sustainability?

Transforming a retail business into one that’s recognised and respected for its commitment to tackling climate change isn’t easy. Sustainability is often seen as a laudable but expensive goal, where significant upfront investments can take a long time to pay off, and some retailers may feel they’re not in a position to make such commitments.

The government is also taking an increasingly firm stance on the issue, launching several schemes that aim to encourage sustainability within the sector. However, the reaction from leading brands has been mixed, with many arguing that these schemes will lead to higher costs for retailers and consumers alike.

Then there are the consumers themselves. A recent report by Savills found that while 80% of consumers described themselves as environmentally friendly, 75% also said that they wouldn’t pay a premium for green products.

This paradox of intent versus actions when it comes to sustainability is one that’s commonly reported within the retail industry and leaves retailers in an unenviable position.

As does the fact that there’s clear scepticism from consumers around brand sustainability claims, which can too quickly lead to accusations of ‘greenwashing’ (where retailers make unsubstantiated and potentially false claims to portray themselves as environmentally friendly).

Savills found that 70% of consumers expected brands to do more about sustainability, but only around 30% believed that retailers would hold true to their sustainability promises.

Meanwhile, nearly half of Deloitte respondents said they didn’t know what information to trust when it came to a business’s sustainability claims (25%) or that nothing could influence how much they’d trust a business’s commitment to sustainability (21%).

So with these challenges in mind, what can retailers do to overcome them?

How can retailers champion sustainability?

With sustainability becoming such a critical issue in the industry, retailers big and small are launching forward-thinking initiatives, implementing impressive changes and committing to ambitious targets in order to reduce their impact on the planet.  

Aldi will soon give customers the chance to recycle their used own label coffee pods at collection points, while Sainsbury’s recently launched cardboard laundry detergent packaging. The Perfume Shop has rolled out a new and improved perfume bottle recycling scheme across its stores nationwide, and Tesco has installed EV charging points at 600 stores over the last three years.

Add in the fact that the UK’s biggest supermarkets recently signed up to an ‘unprecedented’ collaboration in order to combat climate change, and it’s clear how seriously the retail industry is taking the sustainability challenge.

Of course, not every change needs to be a huge, headline-grabbing one. There are plenty of smaller steps that retailers of all sizes can take to embrace sustainability in a way that works for them:

• Track their current carbon emissions to identify hotspots
• Explore ways to make their supply chain more efficient
• Consider energy-efficient approaches, equipment and energy tariffs
• Switch to local suppliers
• Look into sustainable packaging alternatives (and reduce or remove packaging entirely)
• Offer a recycling or takeback scheme related to their products

Whatever actions retailers choose to take, communicating about their achievements is a key part of responding to the growing consumer interest in sustainability. The statistics we quoted earlier show that brands can often face an uphill battle in this regard – particularly with sectors such as fast fashion regularly facing accusations of greenwashing – but authenticity and transparency can go a long way.

Setting achievable goals and having the evidence to back up any claims that are made are other important factors to consider as they can add a further level of credibility. Retailers will often team up with an organisation like B-Corp, which measures and evaluates the environmental and/or social impact of a company’s activities, in order to obtain official recognition of their progress against their targets.

Being transparent, setting realistic goals, making statements that can be substantiated and partnering with an evaluator are all ways that retailers can help to overcome the doubts consumers may have around the authenticity of sustainability claims in retail.

How are we improving the sustainability of our business?

Accreditations

Here at Harrison, we’re proud to say that we’ve partnered with CarbonQuota to measure, reduce and certify our carbon emissions. We were recently certified as a carbon reduced operation, which is a great reflection of the steps we’ve taken to reduce the carbon footprint of our organisation.

We’ve also undertaken a series of assessments from EvoVadis as part of our commitment to continually improving our business practices and corporate social responsibility management. This led to us being awarded a Gold EcoVadis Sustainability Rating in 2022.

Products

In terms of products, our sustainable range continues to expand. We’re increasing our use of alternative materials like cardboard, wood and organic fibres in our display products, and both our Ecovision and EcoPlastic ranges are due to welcome new additions in the near future.

We’re also developing a new closed-loop plastic takeback scheme for data strips and look forward to sharing more information about that service in the coming months.

Speak to a member of our team to find out more about what sustainable products and services we have on offer.

Achieving greater sustainability in the retail sector is going to take time. But with rising demand from consumers and growing commitment from retailers, there’s been a distinctive shift in attitudes within the last couple of years.

Positive changes can now be seen at both individual company levels and across the wider industry, and long may this trend continue.

As part of our commitment to sustainability, we’ve been working with CarbonQuota to measure, reduce and certify our carbon emissions. We’re thrilled to share that this hard work continues to pay off and we’re now a certified carbon reduced operation!

About CarbonQuota

CarbonQuota was originally launched to help increase the sustainability of production processes in the packaging and print sector. The organisation went on to develop one of the world’s largest independent databases of carbon emissions for the sector and the most granular carbon calculation engine.

We’ve appointed CarbonQuota to independently calculate the footprint of our operations and help us to achieve the international target for all organisations: reducing the footprint of our business (by 95%) and supply chain (by 50%) by 2030. It’s an ambitious aim and a complex undertaking, but we recognise the importance of minimising our environmental impact and we’re proud to say we’re already making positive progress.

Carbon Reduced

Our latest CarbonQuota report shows that the CO2e[1] emissions associated with our direct operations have reduced year-on-year, and we’ve therefore been certified as a carbon reduced operation by CarbonQuota[2].

In total, our carbon footprint decreased by 26 tonnes of CO2e between 2021 and 2022[3]. One key area of improvement was with our electricity emissions, where changing our heating and lighting habits helped us to significantly reduce our output. The intensity of our CO2e emissions per million pounds of turnover saw a reduction of 17% during the same period[4], while there were also reductions per building footprint (m²) and per full-time employee.

CarbonQuota’s findings highlight how the efforts we’ve made to increase our energy efficiency and reduce our energy consumption are helping us to move towards our carbon reduction targets. We’re continuing to seek new ways to reduce our carbon footprint – such as our upcoming plans to bring our head office and warehouse together into one efficient, central location – and look forward to seeing the changes we’re making reflected in the data in the coming years.

Our Green Initiatives

We’re also continuing to champion sustainability across our business by changing our working practices, embracing innovation and pursuing sustainable solutions.

For example, we’re increasing the use of alternative materials in our product ranges, with display products made from cardboard, wood and organic fibres such as rice husk, corn starch and bamboo currently under development.

Our Ecovision and EcoPlastic ranges are also expanding to include a wider selection of sustainable products, while our famous Ecovision cardboard corr-a-clips continue to set the standard for recyclable display unit fixtures.

It’s great to see that our efforts to support sustainability and reduce our carbon footprint are beginning to show such positive results. Now that we’ve been named a carbon reduced operation, we’re eager to maintain this status and continue on our journey towards net zero.

For more information on the results of our operational carbon footprint assessment, please contact sustainability@harrisonretail.com or view our certificate online.

[1] Carbon dioxide equivalent, the standard international measurement of carbon footprint.

[2] The CO2e emissions associated with our direct operations have reduced year-on-year (certified: CarbonQuota 2023).

[3] Our absolute operational CO2e emissions have reduced by 26 tonnes of CO2e from our baseline year (certified: CarbonQuota 2023).

[4] The intensity of CO2e emissions per million pounds of turnover associated with our direct operations have reduced by 17% between 2021 & 2022 (certified: CarbonQuota 2023).

1,830 exhibitors from 55 nations across 5 continents. More than 81,000 trade visitors from 141 countries*. EuroShop 2023 was a resounding success for everyone involved – including the Harrison team!

If you weren’t able to join us in Düsseldorf, here’s a quick recap of our EuroShop 2023 experience…

A Hard-Working Team

Our team spent a busy week meeting and greeting fellow exhibitors and stand visitors alike. As well as promoting our products and services, they made some great connections with retailers big and small, and expertly showcased Harrison’s offerings to a global audience.

Great work everyone!

An Eye-Catching Stand

Our stand provided the perfect backdrop for the team. Comprised of a central collaborative space, bold colours and displays for various products and services, the stand caught the eye of visitors and played an essential role in the EuroShop experience.

Industry-Leading New Services

We launched two essential new services on the stand in the fields of sustainability and procurement.

Closed-Loop Plastic Takeback Scheme

Through this scheme, we can recycle and repurpose your used price ticket strips into new products.

This enables you to not only reduce your plastic waste, but also support your sustainability goals.

Retaileze: The Simple Procurement Portal

Our bespoke online portals help to simplify and streamline the purchasing process for POS and display solutions.

These portals can be tailored to your individual needs, such as integrating your existing purchasing systems and processes, to create the ultimate procurement solution.

Exciting New Products

We also expanded our Ecovision range with a number of new sustainable products.

Sustainable Products

Made from alternative materials such as waste coffee grounds, organic fibres and wood, our new display products are leading the way when it comes to sustainability.

Sign holders, display blocks and ‘next customer’ bars are just some of the newcomers to the range to enjoy.

EuroShop 2023 may be over and the next one may not be taking place until 2026, but we’re still on hand to provide a wealth of POS and display innovations in the meantime, and to help you transform your retail space.

Head on over to Harrison Products and Harrison Retail to discover more about our products and services, or get in touch with our team today.

* Data sourced from EuroShop.

The world’s number one retail trade fair is only days away now! Here’s a sneak-peak at what we’ve been up to behind the scenes, and what you’ve got to look forward to when you visit us at EuroShop…

Our stand

Over the last several months, we’ve been working closely with our friends at Formation Live to design and perfect our stand for EuroShop 2023.

The final step is putting everything together, ready for when the fair opens on Sunday 26^th February. Here are some behind-the-scenes shots of the Formation team bringing our stand to life, along with some renders showing what the final stand will look like.

Check out the stand for yourself and come and meet the team. You’ll find us in Hall 4, at Booth 17.

Exclusive launches

Visit our stand at EuroShop and you’ll be one of the first to discover the new products and services that we’re launching exclusively during the event.

These products and services cover three key areas:

• Sustainability: Wood, ground coffee, and organic fibres. Find out how these unusual materials have been transformed into innovative and sustainable retail display products at our stand.
• Ordering: Our new service offers a bespoke solution for all your purchasing needs, providing a smooth and streamlined process. Check out the screen at our stand for a demonstration.
• Repurposing: Reducing your plastic waste just got a whole lot easier. We’ll support your sustainability goals with our brand-new, industry-leading service – speak to our team to find out more.

Products and services

Alongside our exclusive launches, we’re also showcasing a number of our products and services during EuroShop.

In terms of products, you can expect a selection of our most popular retail POS and display solutions. From wire dump bins and stacking basket sets to acrylic cubes and bay risers, these products offer a wealth of versatility and are suitable for a variety of retail scenarios.

Have a read of our Harrison at EuroShop: Discover our Products blog for further details about the products we’ll be promoting during the fair. You can also find out more on our EuroShop exhibitor profile.

In terms of services, we’ll talk you through how we can support your retail display goals within our four specialist areas: product design and innovation, bespoke and in-house manufacturing, warehousing and logistics. 

Our blog on Harrison Retail in the Spotlight provides a great overview of these services, so we’d definitely recommend having a read. You can also check out our retail brochure for further details.

Visit us at EuroShop

It’s not too late to book a meeting with our retail team during EuroShop! All you need to do is send an email to sales@harrisonretail.com and we’ll be happy to set up an appointment to discuss your requirements.

Or pop along to our stand (Hall 4, Booth 17) to explore the products and services we’ve mentioned in this article in more detail.

EuroShop 2023 is rapidly approaching and we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to preview some of the key products and services that we’ll be showcasing during the event.

Retail Wire Solutions

From metal hooks for suspending POS displays to dump bins for holding merchandise, we’re adept at producing high-quality wirework solutions quickly and efficiently.

Our wirework range encompasses various ceiling mounted and floor standing products, many of which offer a level of versatility and portability that make them perfect for the ever-changing retail environment.

Here are some of the wirework products that we’ll be showcasing during EuroShop:

Wire Dump Bins – Square & Rectangular

Wire dump bins, whether square or rectangular, are perfect for displaying products at the end of aisles or near checkouts.

The shelf can be adjusted to any height, catering for a variety of products, with the bins taking up to 30kgs (square) and 70kg (rectangular) in weight.

Wire Baskets with Wheels

Another way to encourage impulse buys is by using wire baskets with wheels.

These strong and convenient display solutions come with a range of useful features including adjustable height shelves so you can display any product effectively and castor wheels for easy relocation.

Stacking Baskets with Wheels

Our stacking basket sets with wheels allow you to maximise the visibility and accessibility of hard-to-stack goods.

These sets feature a sturdy frame that makes them ideal for holding numerous items, as well as a stackable design that can be configured to meet your requirements and wheels.

Acrylic Fabrication, Extrusion and Injection Moulding

We offer extensive acrylic fabrication, extrusion and injection moulding services and products, both via our in-house manufacturing facilities and our global production partners.

Our range includes shelf management products such as electronic shelf-edge label profiles, shelf risers and display racks, as well as counter display products such as sign holders and sign grippers. We also produce a range of bespoke solutions like acrylic cubes and bay risers.

Here are some of the acrylic fixtures and injection moulded solutions that we’ll be showcasing during EuroShop:

Electronic Shelf-Edge Label (ESL) Data Strips

Hold your ESLs securely along your shelf edges with our ESL data strips, available in a variety of lengths.

The strips are made from long-lasting, extruded material, providing both a reliable grip and a clear view of your products and ticket prices for customers.

Acrylic Cubes

Ideal for product ranges that include numerous small and hard-to-stack items, our acrylic cubes are the perfect display choice.

These cubes are strong, durable and made from transparent acrylic so that customers still have a clear view of every product. They’re also a great way to help particular products stand out.

Acrylic Bay Risers

Our acrylic bay risers will help you to display your soft furnishings and beddings with ease.

These risers not only hold soft products securely, but also free up shelf space as you can store items vertically. In addition, their curved design ensures customers can safely access your products whether stock is high or low.

Sustainability

We’re proud to champion sustainability at Harrison and many of our products reflect this ethos, particularly those in the Ecovision range.

Our current products include revolutionary cardboard Corr-A-Clips, with a selection of brand-new sustainable products launching at EuroShop, along with an exclusive, industry-leading service created to support our clients’ sustainability goals (more on both of those below).

Here’s one of the existing recyclable products that we’ll be showcasing during the show:

Ecovision® Cardboard Corr-A-Clip

The Ecovision® Cardboard Corr-A-Clip is one of Harrison’s leading innovations and the first of its kind on the market.

The clip consists of two pieces of recyclable and compostable cardboard, and can be used to construct FSDUs and Countertop Display Units.

Because it’s made from natural fibres, the clip decomposes within 90 days and can by recycled alongside the cardboard that makes up the unit.

This is just a snapshot of the products that we’ll be exhibiting at EuroShop. For further details, check out our exhibitor profile on the EuroShop website.

Exclusive launches at EuroShop

As mentioned above, there are a variety of exciting new services and products that we’ll be launching exclusively at EuroShop. Here’s a bit more about what you’ve got to look forward to when you visit our stand!

Do you want to be able to enjoy a greater selection of products made from sustainable materials? We’re expanding our range to include products made from alternative materials such as wood, ground coffee, rice husk composite, and more.

Looking for an easy and streamlined way to purchase POS products and display components? We’re launching a brand new service that can provide you with a bespoke solution.

Want to reduce your plastic waste? We’re also launching an exclusive, industry-leading service created specifically to support our clients’ sustainability goals.

We’ll be revealing more details about these services and products in the coming weeks, so stay tuned and keep checking back for updates!

To find out more about all of these exclusive new products and services, come along to our stand in Hall 4, Booth D17 or contact our retail team today on sales@harrisonretail.com to book a meeting during the show.

The world’s number one retail trade fair is back and here’s everything you need to know about the event.

Harrison at EuroShop

At Harrison, we provide complete store solutions that are tailored to your unique requirements. From product design and fabrication through to stock-holding and direct-to-store deliveries, we offer a flexible and bespoke approach from start to finish.

Our services

We offer four main services:

• Product design and innovation: We use the latest technology to design, model and prototype solutions.
• Bespoke and in-house manufacturing: We develop and fabricate a range of bespoke retail and merchandising solutions.
• Warehousing: We provide a stock holding service that ensures clients have the parts they need, when they need them.
• Logistics: We offer a global and time-critical pick, pack and shipping service.

You can find further information about these services in our retail brochure.

Our products

Some of the key products we’ll be exhibiting at EuroShop 2023 include:

• Electronic Shelf-Edge Label (ESL) Data Strips: These data strips keep electronic shelf-edge labels in place, helping retailers to switch to digital pricing.
• Ecovision® Cardboard Corr-A-Clip: This recyclable and compostable display component can be used to construct free standing display units (FSDUs) and countertop display units.
• Acrylic Shelf Risers and Dividers: These products prevent items from slipping off shelves and are available in a variety of lengths and widths.
• Wire Dump Bins – Square & Rectangular: These bins can be used at the end of aisles or near checkouts to capture the attention of customers and encourage impulse purchases.
• Stacking Basket Sets and Wire Basket with Wheels: Our baskets are ideal for storing and displaying a wide range of products, and can be tailored to requirements.
• Table Sets: Our bespoke table sets are customisable by colour and finish, and can be used to create eye-catching promotional displays.
• Acrylic Cube: These cubes are ideal for showcasing small, hard-to-stack products throughout a retail space.
• Acrylic Bay Risers: These risers keep soft furnishings and bedding secure, while also ensuring they remain easily accessible.
• Pallet Card Holder: These holders are designed to fit A3 inserts and can be used to prominently display point-of-sale (POS) promotions.

Meeting us

The Harrison stand can be found in Hall 4, at booth D17, and EuroShop has released a handy floorplan to help with navigation.

Why not beat the queues and set up a meeting with us in advance?

Simply email our retail team at sales@harrisonretail.com to schedule a meeting with us whilst you’re at EuroShop.

About EuroShop

At EuroShop, exhibitors can network and demonstrate their offerings, while visitors can explore the latest in retail trends and developments. For 2023, the eight key product categories are as follows, with the ones that we’ll be showcasing marked in bold:

• Shopfitting, store design and visual merchandising
• Lighting
• Materials and surfaces
• Retail technology
• Retail marketing
• Expo and event marketing
• Food service equipment
• Refrigeration and energy management

The event programme

As well as exhibitor stands, EuroShop 2023 features a packed programme for visitors to enjoy.

Top-class speakers will take to the various stages built throughout the exhibition halls to discuss the latest insights. Dedicated areas will be set aside for discussions on innovative trends and idea generation, while award ceremonies will recognise excellence in the industry.

Registration and buying tickets

Tickets for EuroShop 2023 are available now; simply register on the EuroShop website to choose your preferred ticket type and duration.

You can also add extras to your order, such as a parking ticket or premium Wi-Fi access.

As the premier event in the global retail trade fair calendar, EuroShop 2023 represents an unmissable opportunity to network with companies like us, explore the latest innovations and discover cutting-edge products that will drive businesses forward.

Book your meeting with us today by emailing sales@harrisonretail.com and find out how we can help you to get the most out of your retail spaces.

Here at Harrison, there are two sides to our business: Harrison Products and Harrison Retail. As the name suggests, Harrison Products provides a wide variety of display components, fixtures, fittings and more to customers across the retail industry. But what about Harrison Retail?

In this article, we take a closer look at our dedicated retail brand and what bespoke services and solutions we can offer some of the biggest global brands.

Who we are

At Harrison Retail, we provide complete store solutions. From product design and fabrication through to stock holding and direct-to-store deliveries, we work closely with clients from start to finish to maximise the potential of their retail spaces.

Innovation and creative forward-thinking lie at the heart of everything we do. We combine this ethos with a flexible and tailor-made approach to create bespoke solutions that frequently surpass client requirements and expectations.

Our dedicated team of retail specialists, product designers and account managers is complemented by two UK warehouses, an acrylic fabrication site, a head office support team and distribution hubs in both Europe and America.

What we offer

Here are the four key services that we offer our clients:

1. Product design and innovation: Our clients want creativity that stands out from the crowd and designs that cleverly answer their retail display requirements.

We use the latest software and technology to design, model and produce prototypes for solutions that perfectly meet client needs. As well as creating life-like visuals and 3D renders of fixtures in clients’ stores, we can produce soft tools for bespoke fixtures that can be used in store trials.

2. Bespoke and in-house manufacturing: Our clients want completely bespoke concepts and designs that are produced quickly and to any brief.

We use our experience in the retail sector, along with our in-house manufacturing capabilities and talented design team, to produce innovative retail and merchandising solutions. These manufacturing capabilities include acrylic fabrication, injection moulding, extruding, and wirework.

3. Warehousing: Our clients want a stock holding service that’s reliable, easy to access and provides an uninterrupted supply stream.

We hold stock of popular client items in our warehouse facilities in the UK, Europe and America. This stock can be called off at any time to meet project timescales and delivered swiftly.

4. Logistics: Our clients want a pick, pack and shipping service that’s quick, versatile and efficient.

We use our dedicated distribution hub and warehouse operatives to provide a global and time-critical service. We can pre-assemble retail displays, deliver directly to store and even dispatch orders to multiple destinations.

Who we support

We’re proud to have worked with some of the UK’s biggest retail brands:

• Dobbies: We designed and developed innovative displays, storage solutions and more for the Dobbies flagship store. Find out more here.
• B&Q: We helped to refresh the look and feel of B&Q’s home furnishing areas nationwide.
• Homebase: We provided wirework to Homebase stores across the UK to help improve the shopper experience.
• Aldi: We aided Aldi’s switch to electronic shelf-edge labels with our unique shelf edge rails.
• Morrisons: We used our wirework expertise to develop a bespoke baked goods display solution for Morrisons.
• Dunelm: We developed a way for Dunelm to display sample fabrics for a more tactile customer experience.

For more details about how we supported each of these clients, check out our retail brochure, or for more case studies, visit our website.

Meet us at EuroShop 2023

EuroShop, the world’s number one retail trade fair, is taking place in Düsseldorf, Germany from 26^th February to 2^nd March 2023. We’ll be among the exhibitors and you’ll find us in Hall 4, booth D17, where we’ll be showcasing an exciting range of new services and products.

As well as stopping by our stand during the event itself, you can book a meeting with us in advance by emailing our retail team at sales@harrisonretail.com. It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet our team and find out more about how Harrison Retail can support you.

As part of our commitment to continually improve our business practices and corporate social responsibility management, we are thrilled to announce that we have been awarded the Gold EcoVadis Sustainability Rating.

EcoVadis is a globally recognised sustainability ratings provider, focusing on providing businesses with the tools needed to improve their sustainability practises and effectively manage corporate social responsibility.  

Essential for smart and responsible business, sustainability can be broken down into four key themes which businesses are then assessed on:  

• Environment  
• Ethics  
• Labour & Human Rights  
• Sustainable Procurement 

After achieving the Bronze rating in 2021 from EcoVadis, we followed the guidance detailed in our report and set out to significantly improve our policies and business practices in each of these four areas in order to achieve a higher rating for 2022. One of our key focuses was to become a carbon measured operation, which we achieved earlier this year by working with CarbonQuota.

This year’s report has identified that we are now ranked in the top 3% of companies rated by EcoVadis in our industry. But we won’t stop there. 

We understand the effect that our business can have on the world around us and we care about working hard to minimise that impact as much as possible. Our new Gold Rating is an excellent acknowledgement that the work we are doing to improve is having an impact and serves as encouragement for us to take it even further. 

We will be using this latest EcoVadis report to continue building on our corporate social responsibility policies and helping to champion a more sustainable future for the industry. 

For more information on the results of our latest assessment, please contact our team via sustainability@harrisonretail.com, alternatively you can view our latest certificate online. 

We are thrilled to announce that we are now a certified carbon measured operation. We are working with CarbonQuota to measure, reduce, and certify our carbon emissions in alignment with the Our Green Promise commitment we made to minimise our impact on the planet.

Current international targets require that, by 2030, all organisations must reduce their carbon footprint within their own business by 95%, and within their supply chain by 50%. We’re committed to achieving this target whilst acknowledging the complexity of such an undertaking. 

Being one of the country’s leading suppliers of retail components and POS products, we understand how much plastic is used to create shelf management, price communication, and merchandising solutions in-store. That’s why we launched Our Green Promise, to pledge our commitment to helping minimise the environmental impact of such solutions, and why we have appointed CarbonQuota to drive this commitment even further by independently calculating the footprint of our operations. 

CarbonQuota have been working with us this year to extensively identify and measure the carbon footprint of our direct operations. Following the collation of this data, we now have a detailed report which has determined our baseline, covering our full Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions, against which we can now build measurable carbon reduction goals and actively work to reduce our 2021 carbon hotspots. We have also started to assess our scope 3 emissions and plan to have this measurement fully completed within the coming years.

Since working with CarbonQuota, we have already started to explore more ways to reduce our carbon footprint by relocating our head office to a more central location which has reduced commuting distances and time for our colleagues by 35%. This is also encouraging more lift-sharing, cycle-to-work opportunities, and making the switch to electric company vehicles. 

We are also continually developing our sustainable product material offerings to support these goals. Our 100% recyclable EcoPlastic range of POS components, which use a modified plastic polymer that breaks down into completely natural compounds, continues to expand. And our ground-breaking Ecovision range is also in development with some exciting announcements to come. 

We’re proud of our achievements and product innovations to date, so to now have the initial ‘certification of operational carbon footprint assessment’ from CarbonQuota means it is time for us to work even harder to reduce our carbon emissions and encourage a more sustainable future for the industry.

For more information on the results of our operational carbon footprint assessment, please contact sustainability@harrisonretail.com, alternatively you can view our certificate online.

Hear from Harrison product designer, Charlotte Bush, on creating a fabric sample holder for national retailer, Dunelm.

Just two months into my product design career with Harrison, I started work on a project for one of our regular customers, the homeware retailer, Dunelm: could we produce a more economical solution to display pillowcases for customers to touch and feel the fabric? A very specific challenge that required a quick solution to accommodate an upcoming campaign.

We’ve worked with Dunelm for several years and we’re often asked whether we can improve a particular product to solve a particular problem or to design something innovative for a section of their store. However, taking this project from concept to shelf in just a matter of months wasn’t to be an easy task!

Providing the ideal solution…

That said, solving problems was one of the reasons I chose a career in product design; after establishing that I enjoyed maths and being creative, it seemed like the perfect fit! After some quick development, our solution was an injection moulded product that could securely hold fabrics of varying thickness (ideal for bedding, curtains, and linen); was easy to assemble and use; would fit securely to shelves; and could prominently display product information using a Harrison barker.

Introducing the new Fabric Sample Holder

We launched our Fabric Sample Holder in January 2022, just five months after receiving the initial brief. Currently being used in 157 Dunelm stores, with plans of a nationwide roll-out to all 170 sites, we’re all really pleased the project has been such a success. And hearing the CEO likes our solution, too, especially as it displays more material for customers to touch and feel (ideal for a retailer with such an enormous range of fabrics!) is very exciting.

I really enjoy being a product designer at Harrison; being presented with a problem and designing a solution, and then seeing my creation on the shelves in a national retailer is enormously rewarding. There is never too much time to ponder, however, as it’s on to the next design project to ensure our customers’ products are impossible to miss!

• Discover how we’ve worked with Homebase, Co-op, and Morrisons to enhance their POS displays
• Why we designed the world’s first compostable corr-a-clip
• Explore our range of POS components and display solutions

By Charlotte Bush

Product Design Lead

A First-Class industrial design and technology graduate, Charlotte joined Harrison in 2021 as a technical designer following periods designing for a consumer electronics company and working at a product design consultancy designing for entrepreneurs and SMEs.

After just seven months of creating POS products at Harrison, Charlotte was promoted to product design lead, and working alongside three other designers, spends her day either thinking of solutions to customers’ POS problems, enhancing our current products or expanding our product offering by designing new innovative products.

Keen to explore the possible cost-saving benefits of replacing in-store paper price tickets with Electronic Shelf Edge Labels (ESELs), Morrisons sought a solution to securely hold their digital price labels in place on the shelf.

Morrisons contacted Harrison in 2019 to discuss their requirements and the challenge of fitting an ESEL to a conventional plastic data strip.  Our product development team visited the York store to observe the solutions their team had already tried such as mounting a secondary ESEL data strip to a paper data strip, quickly realising a bespoke solution was required.

A winning combination

After many months of store visits, and designing and testing possible options, we presented a solution that would securely fit store shelves and hold their ESELs. Bingo!

Seven stores and counting…

A trial of the new ESEL data strips commenced, beginning in the York store and rolling out to six other stores including Thornbury, Camden and Wood Green.

Product Development Manager, Douglas Cook, is excited to see Morrisons roll out the new data strips, and says, “Our bespoke data strips hold ESELs in different areas of their stores including produce, ambient, Market Street, refrigerated, BWS, and petrol fillings stations. Each area required different solutions, which we’ve designed and and improved over the last two years.

“I feel enormously proud to work with the product development team to create a unique solution to a problem. ESELs are commonplace in European retail stores, but the UK has been a little slow to adopt the digital technology which enables dynamic pricing to be controlled centrally from a head office location, saving a considerable amount of time and money in store.”

Morrisons will continue to trial the ESEL data strips throughout 2022 to determine the precise cost/time-saving benefit of digitising all price tickets in their 500+ stores.

Boost your PoS with Harrison

Interested to see how Harrison can help enhance your in-store PoS? Browse our case studies and see how we’ve helped B&Q, Homebase and Co-Op elevate their shelf appeal.

With ever-growing success, here at Harrison we recognise the significance of investing in manufacturing, machinery and automation.

Rapid business growth has allowed us to push forward with ambitious business goals, so we are excited to announce the incorporation of leading acrylic fabrication company United Manufacturing into the Harrison group.

As a major player in the acrylic fabrication market, United Manufacturing (previously known as United Plastics Ltd) have undergone an impressive rebrand project in order to pair extensive industry experience with Harrison’s innovative forward-thinking to form an exciting and progressive partnership.

Dedicated to providing creative solutions to any brief, large or small, for any industry, United Manufacturing use state-of-the-art design technology and in-house fabrication facilities to produce solutions of the highest standards with market-best lead times.

Our investment in a skilled partner workforce to support with manufacturing projects means the Harrison Group can more effectively offer tailored solutions for clients, drawing on United Manufacturing’s expert acrylic fabrication services:

Laser Cutting

For fine details, intricate designs and precision finishes, advanced laser cutters produce clean, high-gloss finishes for all acrylic applications.

Thermoforming & Bending

With no tooling required, line bending and material thermoforming techniques are highly effective options for achieving tight radius bends with acrylic sheets.

CNC Machining

Computer Numerical Control (CNC) ensures the highest standard of finish by using electro-mechanical devices to guide fabrication tools such as grinders and routers.

Polishing

Using diamond polishing and flame polishing techniques, acrylic solutions will achieve the smoothest, high-shine edges for maximum impact applications.

By pushing forward with our manufacturing and automation investments, our clients can now maximise on bespoke acrylic fabrication services as well as the renowned Harrison experience as we continue to put clients at the heart of everything we do.

For more information on the services offered by United Manufacturing as part of the Harrison Group, head to the brand-new website today or get in touch with the team via info@unitedmanufacturing.co.uk 

As a nation renowned for our tea and coffee drinking, Britain gets through over 2.5 billion single-use cups every year, and this is only increasing, yet it is estimated that only 0.25% of paper cups are actually recycled. 

It’s clear that producers and retailers need to do more to tackle this growing problem.

There are a number of voluntary takeback initiatives in place which have seen positive results; however, the Government acknowledges that voluntary initiatives ‘will only go so far’ and want to see producers take ‘greater responsibility for these difficult to recycle packaging products.’ 

In order to tackle the disposable cups problem, the Government has set out objectives as part of the Extended Producer Responsibility strategy which includes: 

• Increasing the use of reusable cups 
• Reducing the use of difficult-to-recycle single-use cups 
• Increasing the recycling of single-use cups 

With initial plans to increase the recycling of single-use cups, the Government is preparing for the possibility of implementing a mandatory takeback for all sellers of filled disposable paper cups for both hot and cold drinks, irrespective of brand or place of purchase.

What do businesses need to do?

Businesses should focus on encouraging the use of reusable cups in stores, by selling these on site and introducing reward schemes for those customers who use them.  

With the proposed introduction of a mandatory takeback obligation however, businesses will be required to provide accessible in-store recycling points for customers’ paper cups as well as installing recycling stations located outside of stores. 

Sellers of filled paper cups will also then be responsible for arranging separate collection and recycling of any cups left at their recycling points. 

Recycling stations are an effective way to not only increase the recyclability of your business’ waste, but to also be an influence for change in our throw-away culture. 

It is clear that brands have a responsibility to lead the way in tackling the food and beverage waste issues and this is a small step in the right direction. 

How We Can Support Businesses 

Whether for national coffee chains and supermarkets or independent cafes, we can design and produce paper cup recycling solutions with the client’s purpose in mind. 

Using the latest CAD design technology with our experience and understanding of the pace of retail, our Product Development Team can rapidly produce bespoke paper cup recycling stations tailored specifically for the client’s needs

From concept to store roll-out, our expert teams will work with you every step of the way to ensure that your business is ahead of the curve to increase sustainability efforts and prepare for the proposed takeback legislation. 

How We’ve Already Supported Morrisons 

In order to further their sustainability efforts, we were approached by the supermarket giant, Morrisons, to create an innovative and eco-friendly solution for easy in-store paper cup recycling. 

Our in-house Technical Team were able to provide the perfect design to prevent paper cups from ending up in general waste. By installing the recycling station, the cups can instead be repurposed into greeting cards. For every 15 recycled cups, two new greeting cards can be produced for the retailer to sell on. 

The completed product was made from powder-coated steel and our Creative Team worked with the client to design bespoke branded artwork. A nationwide roll out is now planned to ship Recycling Cup Stations to over 450 Morrisons stores. 

For more information on how we can support your business with paper cup recycling stations or to discuss your brief in more detail, please get in touch with our dedicated team of experts today. The time to act is now. 

It is no secret that the way consumers shop is rapidly shifting. With the rise of internet shopping and continuing pandemic impacts, retailers now need to do more than ever to earn customer footfall and make physical shopping experiences worthwhile.

There are many ways to improve the in-store experience and increase shopper engagement; a simple yet effective method is the introduction of standard and bespoke acrylic displays throughout stores.

Popularly used for displaying information, campaign and promotional material, acrylic displays provide a multitude of format options and are effective in ensuring brand recognition and getting displays noticed.

1. Encourage Brand Recognition and Trust

Not only is it essential to get shoppers into stores, retailers must then maximise on this opportunity to ensure brand recognition, customer loyalty and encourage return visits. Manufacturing bespoke acrylic displays can be pivotal in providing shoppers with the easy, helpful and immersive retail experience they cannot get from online shopping. 

Strategically placed standard acrylic displays, such as Pallet Sign Holders, will not only maintain shopper engagement with the brand throughout their visit by highlighting promotions and campaigns but also encourage new purchases, assuring the retailer’s position as a trusted influencing brand.

2. Simple Display Installation for Store Efficiency

One of the biggest benefits to installing bespoke acrylic displays in stores is that they can be designed and manufactured specifically for certain spaces and product areas throughout the store.

Custom acrylic displays therefore take installation into account during the design process to ensure that fitting the retail solution will be as simple, seamless and efficient as possible, maximising the use of store staff time.  

Many standard acrylic retail displays can simply be placed on countertops, hung in store windows or fixed to walls. Acrylics can also be incorporated into existing retail fixtures when exploring more bespoke manufacturing solutions. 

3. Technical Features of Acrylic

Used as a safer, more durable and therefore more sustainable option to glass, acrylic is a popular choice due to its shatterproof, weather-resistant and scratchproof qualities. 

Standard and bespoke acrylic displays are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, allowing retailers to maximise brand recognition and promotional opportunities even before shoppers enter the store as well as throughout their visit.

Acrylic is also a very malleable material and can be easily extruded to form any shape or size needed to create the ideal retail display. Custom acrylic displays can be crafted to incorporate additional components such as magnets which allow retailers to regularly update promotional material in the acrylic display without impacting its durability or longevity. 

Retailers have also favoured acrylic fixtures in ensuring staff and shopper safety following the recent pandemic.

How We Can Support Retailers

Whether for a major supermarket chain or a local convenience store, we design with the purpose in mind and can create a bespoke acrylic display solution for any retail environment. 

Using the latest CAD design technology with our experience and understanding of the pace of retail, our Product Development Team can rapidly produce entirely bespoke concepts and designs to suit your brief and any tight deadlines you may have.  

With our ability to develop and fabricate a multitude of bespoke retail and merchandising solutions for a range of industries including groceries, DIY and home furnishings, our technical retail experts will utilise their in-depth knowledge of acrylic fabrication to produce the highest standard retail solution for you with leading turnaround times. 

How We’ve Already Supported Dreams

Our expert teams worked with bed specialist, Dreams, who required two different bed display stands that would be subtle and compact to suit their busy bedroom furniture showrooms.  

One of the bespoke acrylic stands we created was designed to fit beneath display mattresses throughout their stores for a sleek and minimal solution to display product information effectively. 

Our Product Development Team also produced an additional free-standing acrylic sign for various uses. Both custom acrylic solutions successfully fulfilled the client’s brief to be easy to install, move and regularly update with promotional signage.

With over 9000 of our acrylic stands produced, we rolled these our to all 200 Dreams stores across the UK.

For more information on our bespoke retail services or to speak to one of our experts about your brief, please get in touch with us.

You might have noticed when you arrived on our site today that our online home looks a little different than before. Not only have we built a brand-new website, we also decided to update our branding to more accurately reflect our company values.  

As a company, we always strive to do more but it felt as though our image no longer lived up to our purpose.  

We believe that the future of retail feels good and that it is centred on protecting the planet and revolutionising the way we shop. We determined that our new identity needed to reflect this and be built upon a complete digital transformation to support our rapidly growing business. 

To more accurately support our customers and their specific needs, we have divided our existing offering into Harrison Products and Harrison Retail. We are still the same single company with a single purpose; however, this offering simply allows us to tailor our products and services more suitably for our clients.

We have filled our website with a whole host of new features that will maximise your online experience with us. You will be able to shop our updated collection of stocked products with a more intuitive checkout experience and have the ability to quickly checkout as a guest or log into your account for a more personalised experience, as well as request product samples and bespoke sizes directly from the relevant product pages. 

Why not get to know us more by visiting our company page for an insight into who we are as a company? Here you can discover the array of bespoke services we offer to support our clients in protecting the planet whilst revolutionising the way we shop. 

You may already know from the Our Green Promise campaign that we are dedicated to minimising the impact we have on the world around us. We have created an interactive experience that allows you to follow our sustainability journey; from the way we act as a business to the products we sell and the organisations we support. 

Find out how we’ve helped other businesses on their journey to a more sustainable future for retail by exploring the case studies feature in our brand-new Discover Hub, where you can also make the most of latest Harrison news, insights on industry trends and consumer behaviour and more. 

Still looking for more? Our comprehensive Support Hub is packed full of helpful information on everything you need to know about, from frequently asked questions to details on our credentials as well as our new feature that allows you to raise a support ticket when needed. 

For more information on our recent rebrand and new website, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. 

It’s no secret that shops and supermarkets are being pushed to make refillable products more widely available.

According to Which?, 75% of consumers would consider buying refillable products but only 36% say they have actually seen them made available.

As industry leaders, we recognise the impact of the rising waste packaging problem so we work alongside small and major retailers on a shared mission to significantly reduce food waste and single use packaging from the food supply chain by offering sustainable retail innovations.

Designed and manufactured to the highest specifications using state-of-the-art technologies, we tailor our sustainable retail products to create the perfect solution to any brief.

REFILLED Products

BPA free and safe for food storage, REFILLED Gravity Dispensers house free-flowing products for customers to use which means that there is no packaging waste involved. Available in 6L, 10L and 13L capacities, these dispensers are perfect for any-sized store looking to improve its sustainability initiatives.

Easy to use, clean and install, our REFILLED Gravity Dispensers can be mounted to existing shelves or make use of our premade and bespoke designed shelving units. Also suitable for wall mounting, the dispensers can be fixed to any wall space or used in conjunction with our Bar Mount System to turn existing store shelving into a refill station.

We also offer a Catch Tray System which is designed to collect any overflow or spilled products, helping to eliminate in-store food wastage.

Ideal for hard-to-flow products, REFILLED Scoop Bins are also available for store refill stations. By naturally rotating stock levels as well as eliminating food packaging waste, these waste-conscious bins are available in 13L and 22L.

Store Fixturing

We offer store fixturing for your Gravity Dispensers and Scoop Bins, with a wide range of pre-made shelving stands or by liaising with our team of experts we can design a tailor made solution specifically for your brief.

Crafted from high-quality durable wood and metal, we will work alongside you every step of the way to create a fixture that is designed specifically with your store and customers in mind.

Contact our team today to find the perfect zero waste solution for your needs or email us via sales@harrisonproducts.net or check out our REFILLED product brochure or to download here for more details.