Green Retail World has covered some big stories from the likes of John Lewis, Co-op, and On this week. But here are five additional news-in-brief items to round up recent weeks in greener retailing.
Home Bargains ‘wasting less’ thanks to new tech
General merchandise retailer Home Bargains has reported a reduction in waste thanks to the implementation of technology from Retail Insight.
Following a successful 20-store pilot beginning in February 2025, which was primarily to improve its markdown process, Home Bargains has now rolled out the tech to more than 600 stores across the UK.
Previously, the retailer relied on a manual markdown process with handwritten price labels and limited data to guide pricing decisions. It is now gaining more value from markdown products and it has improved sell-through by 1.7% following the tech deployment.
Paul Rowland, retail & technology director at Home Bargains, commented: “Partnering with Retail Insight has helped us transform a very manual, outdated process into one that’s simple for colleagues, smart for the business and better for customers. We’re selling more, wasting less and delivering real results across the chain.”
Back Market brings preloved tech to New York store
Preloved tech marketplace Back Market has opened a store in New York.
The temporary pilot store is situated in Manhattan’s SoHo neighbourhood, and includes a repair station and workshops. The retailer will also be hosting events as it looks to raise awareness of and prove the quality of buying second hand and refurbished goods.
Read more about Back Market on Green Retail World
Official launch for student online marketplace Hazaar
Hazaar, a student-focused online marketplace, officially launched its new e-commerce platform this week.
A total of 11 brand partners are part of the launch, with products from Hydroflask, Osprey, Elliker, Art of Football, Plastic Freedom, CDG London and EMRLD among the items available to buy. The concept of the platform is to help students gain access to high quality goods at low prices and enable brands to redistribute excess stock.
By partnering with Hazaar, brands can transform their returned, refurbished and unsold goods into curated, affordable and limited-edition drops sold directly to students. Each drop is hosted on Hazaar and released every two weeks, featuring new brands timed to key student moments like Freshers and graduation, with prices revealed exclusively to verified students upon sign-in.
Orders are then fulfilled via dropshipping directly from the brand to the student shopper.
Harriet Noy, founder and CEO of Hazaar, commented: “For students, rising prices and a growing desire to shop sustainably often make well-known brands feel out of reach.
“We’re changing that by providing students with exclusive access to the products they love at prices that fit their budgets. Beyond affordability, we’re helping them make conscious choices that align with their values, proving that style and sustainability don’t have to be mutually exclusive. By doing so, we’re becoming more than just a shopping destination – we’re the go-to place for making university life easier, more enjoyable and sustainable.”
Read an interview with Noy on Green Retail World
BRC: Retailers will pass EPR costs onto consumers
According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC), consumers will bear the financial burden of the new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fees.
The BRC said recent economic measures announced by the UK government have left retailers with little room to absorb additional costs, and a survey from the trade body said this legislation will result in a rise in prices for consumers to navigate.
Businesses are now required to report extensive information on the composition and amounts of packaging they are putting on the market. The new packaging tax is levied on any company which produces packaging bought and disposed of by households, this includes retailers and brands.
The fees are based on the materials and amounts used. The survey found 85% of retailers intend to increase the proportion of sustainable packaging placed on the market, and 78% intend to reduce the total volume of packaging they place on the market.
Andrew Opie, director of food & sustainability at the BRC, said: “Retailers support the polluter pays principle and are making significant changes to reduce and improve their packaging. But the packaging tax is also a multi-billion pound levy being paid by consumers during a cost-of-living crisis.
“They will ask: what are we getting for higher prices? Unless funds are spent transparently and effectively, EPR threatens to just be another burden on an already overtaxed industry with no tangible benefits for customers or the environment.”
Interestingly, at Retail Week’s Responsible Retail Summit in London on Thursday 2 October, retailers and suppliers argued that despite the rise in costs, EPR is helping sustainability departments showcase to other areas of the organisation, such as the finance teams, the benefits of adopting a more sustainable approach to business.
Biffa acquires bottle manufacturer Esterform
Waste management company Biffa has announced it has merged its UK PET recycling operations with Esterform, a UK PET pre-form and bottle manufacturer it has acquired.
According to Biffa, the acquisition creates an end-to-end circular PET packaging business ahead of the 2027 launch of the UK’s Deposit Return Scheme which is set to drive an increase in PET drinks bottles available for recycling.
Esterform’s manufacturing sites in West Yorkshire and Worcestershire take recycled PET pellets to make test tube-shaped pre-forms which are blow-moulded into bottles and containers for drinks, food, personal care, and household products.
Moving forward, Esterform and Biffa’s existing PET recycling operations – which will now trade under the Esterpet brand – will be held as a wholly owned portfolio business within the Biffa Group, led by Esterform’s founder Mark Tyne and his management team.
The business will benefit from investment by Biffa. Biffa’s long-established HDPE and PP recycling operations at Redcar – including its closed loop recycling solution for HDPE milk bottles – will continue to trade as Biffa Polymers under managing director James McLeary.
[image credit: Hazaar]
