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26 PRINTING,POWER&GREENIT


RETAIL TECHNOLOGY GOES E ‘GREEN’


very year Retail Technology provides UK retailers with an overview of developments covering the full


spectrum of the some of the most energy intensive, technology-based retail functions and operations.


Despite the adoption of more sustainable,


environmentally friendly or so-called ‘green’ digital technologies, printing is still an important process for retailers in both the front and back offi ce. At the same time, an increasing reliance on digital communications means today’s demanding consumer will not tolerate downtime or lack of availability. So retailers no longer have to consider just uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) as part of their business continuity and disaster recovery strategies. Therefore this year, we look at how


retailers are using the latest technology to manage printing, power and green IT requirements more effi ciently. John Richardson, UK chairman for


Cartridge World, agreed that printing is still a vital process for retailers. He pointed out that, according to the UK Cartridge Remanufacture Association, 45 million non-biodegradable printer cartridges were binned and end up in landfi ll sites in the UK each year. While the focus with printing is often on the cost and environmental impact of


paper use, Richardson said: “With growing pressures to be green placed on retailers, it is becoming increasingly important to be aware of alternative product offerings that provide both great cost savings and quality when purchasing printer cartridges.” Barrie Street, Canon UK retail business


strategy manager, highlighted how the growing mobile adoption trend was affecting print technology development. He said: “IT spending decisions have been accelerated by both the sharp rise in the presence of smartphones and tablets in consumer and business environments as well as the increasing need for a fl exible and mobile workforce. “Particularly during busy periods where time is at a premium, a mobile and fl exible workforce that can print from mobile devices


on the go is crucial,” Street added. “The ability to conveniently print promotional items and marketing material in real time, directly from stores is an example of a driving force behind this demand.” But he cautioned that integrated mobile printing capability must be secured and provide the retailer with the ability to account for and control all printing costs.


With recent research suggesting retailers


are overlooking the mounting utility costs too, Edward Lees, Toshiba Lighting Systems UK product manager, pointed out that traditional lighting accounts for around 20% of a retailer’s electricity bill. But he said more and more retailers are discovering that LED lighting offers a rapid return on investment and long-term cost savings, from both a maintenance and energy consumption point of view. “The environmental benefi ts of LED lighting will also help retailers meet current environmental legislations such as EU [European Union] 2020 emissions targets,” added Lees.


The implementation examples and


industry studies in the next few pages serve as a powerful reminder that, when it comes to increasing effi ciency, cutting costs and running a more sustainable business for the long term, retailers should not overlook their use of raw materials and resources.


TESCO TAKES ENERGY MANAGEMENT LEAD


Energy management remains a consistently hot topic for retailers. As a result, energy management, smart grid and smart metering specialist EnergyICT said successful retailers should make sustainability and energy efficiency a part of their competitive strategy. UK retail giant Tesco, for example, has committed itself to some challenging targets to halve its energy


RETAIL TECHNOLOGY MAY/JUNE 2012


consumption by 2020. To achieve this, Tesco has implemented a number of energy efficiency initiatives within their numerous stores, depots and other sites, including the use of EnergyICT energy management platform, EIServer, since 2006.


The platform incorporates key energy


monitoring capabilities, like meter data management and advanced metering


infrastructure support, which helps Tesco mine the vast quantities of energy data it collects from its network of more than 10,000 main and sub-meters for electricity, water, gas and heat. It feeds this information through the EnergyICT Energy Dashboard to provide real- time monitoring and highlight areas of inefficiency, enabling more efficient energy management.


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