Driving a Brighter and More Sustainable Future for Retail with Shoplight

Reducing the carbon footprint of retailers and their supply chains is essential for achieving global climate targets. The retail sector is one of the top 10 most carbon-intensive industries, responsible for roughly 25% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. But while retail is a significant contributor to global warming, it is also in a unique position to act as a key driver in the transition to a Net Zero economy.

The majority of retail-related emissions arise from its extensive value chain, which accounts for up to 98% of a retailer's total emissions. This means that retailers must carefully assess every part of their supply chain, from product sourcing to logistics, to effectively reduce their carbon footprint. It's no longer enough to focus solely on in-store operations or direct emissions. To truly make an impact, retailers must engage with suppliers, manufacturers, and partners to ensure that more sustainable practices are embedded at every level.

This is where companies like Shoplight are stepping up and providing useful options. With retail lighting solutions that are not only more energy-efficient but also produced with more consideration for the environment, Shoplight is giving retailers the chance to reduce their carbon footprint without compromising on quality or style.

Introducing Shoplight

Shoplight is a B Corp certified retail lighting company that has been redefining sustainability and crafting immersive lighting experiences in the retail sector for the past 10 years. Shoplight is on a mission to help retailers lower their environmental impact while achieving optimal lighting for their spaces. The company focuses on providing more sustainable, high-quality retail lighting that is designed to improve both the energy efficiency and aesthetics of retail environments.

Shoplight’s products go beyond simply meeting energy efficiency standards; they are built with sustainability at their core. From the use of biopolymers to their commitment to circular lighting principles, Shoplight is transforming the way retailers approach their lighting. By moving away from traditional aluminium fittings, Shoplight are offering circular alternatives that are better for the environment as well as highly functional and technically excellent. Shoplight is indeed leading the charge towards a greener future for retail.

How Shoplight is Changing Retail for the Better

1. Biopolymer retail lighting - with seven products now in its sustainable biopolymer range, Shoplight’s growing eco-friendly collection replaces traditional aluminium lighting, which helps reduce the environmental impact of mined, smelted, and imported materials. This shift from aluminium to 3D printed biopolymer materials significantly lowers the carbon footprint associated with retail lighting production.
   
2. Reducing waste through a modular design approach - Shoplight’s commitment to circular retail lighting ensures that products use a modular design which means they can be easily serviced and upgraded, and therefore, kept in use for longer.
   
3. Circu-light encourages more sustainable practices in retail lighting - the retail sector generates significant construction waste because of frequent renovations, lease terminations, and the opening of new stores. By participating in our four step circular scheme, brands actively reduce the demand for new, unsustainable lighting fixtures made from virgin aluminum imported from the Far East. The four steps include a scrappage, upgrade, buy-back and recycle scheme.
   
4. Recyclable and reusable materials - As well as being durable their retail lighting is also part of a financially incentivised buy back scheme. Unlike aluminium fixtures, which are often discarded and end up in landfills, Shoplight’s luminaires can be returned to them, reused or recycled, and kept in circulation, preventing waste. The ability to reuse biopolymer products multiple times reduces the need for new raw materials, reducing the emissions output even further.
   
5. Energy-efficient lighting solutions - Shoplight’s products are designed with energy efficiency in mind. By using the latest LEDs and other advanced energy-efficient technologies, Shoplight’s lighting solutions reduce electricity consumption, lower operating costs for retailers, and contribute to a reduction in GHG emissions.
   
6. Reducing the carbon footprint of retail lighting - with the shift to biopolymer products and a circular model, Shoplight is not only reducing its carbon footprint but also helping retailers do the same within their value chain. These innovations result in lower emissions from both production and disposal.

Shoplight Success Stories

Shoplight’s commitment to sustainability has already made a profound impact on many major retailers, proving that environmentally considerate lighting solutions can be both functional and stylish for the industry’s big players. Shoplight have made their biopolymer range attractive in multiple ways - products look the part, reduce environmental impact and are price comparable. Where there is a biopolymer alternative, retail brands will find it hard to find a reason to stick with traditional aluminum lighting with its poor environmental track record.

For this reason, Shoplight has built up a long list of success stories in the two years since NORT, their first biopolymer retail light was launched.

• GAIL’s Bakery, a long-standing partner of Shoplight, has been a pioneer in adopting sustainable practices across its stores. GAIL’s was the first brand to use Shoplight’s biopolymer lighting range and have made significant strides in reducing their environmental impact while maintaining beautiful store concepts. Showcasing an impactful commitment to sustainability, GAIL's Bakery has switched from traditional aluminium lighting to biopolymers wherever an alternative exists.
• The Bicester Collection is shining a light on sustainability using Shoplight’s innovative lighting solutions across prestigious locations like Bicester Village, Maasmechelen Village, and Kildare Village. By utilising Shoplight’s biopolymer range and prioritising energy-efficient lighting, The Bicester Collection is at the forefront of reducing the environmental impact of luxury retail.
  
• Hotel Chocolat, a beloved brand known for its luxury chocolate, has been using Shoplight’s biopolymer lighting in their stores to support their goal of achieving Net Zero by 2030. The company’s ongoing commitment to reducing its environmental footprint aligns perfectly with Shoplight’s eco-friendly lighting solutions.
  
• Skechers was Shoplight’s first customer back in August 2014. Since then Shoplight has lit over 80 of its stores across the UK and Europe. They have seamlessly transitioned the brand from traditional aluminium lighting to their more sustainable biopolymer range, the most recent being Skechers Bluewater in January.

One step closer to a more sustainable retail industry

While lighting is just one aspect of sustainability in retail, it plays a crucial role in offering retailers across the globe another tangible way to decarbonise. Shoplight is at the forefront of this movement, helping create a more sustainable future for retail through innovative, environmentally responsible retail lighting solutions.

In a world where consumers are increasingly prioritising sustainability, retailers can gain a competitive advantage by embracing sustainable solutions like those offered by Shoplight. With a commitment to reducing carbon emissions, waste, and resource consumption, Shoplight is driving a brighter and greener future for retail.

If you're a retailer looking to reduce your carbon footprint while delivering immersive experiences for your in-store customers, get in touch with Shoplight today at hello@shoplight.lighting.