Logo

5 ways retailers can reduce energy consumption at the checkout

Everyone is dealing with increased costs in the world today, and for the retail industry it’s clear that something needs to change to bring these costs down. Starting with taking a closer look into their energy consumption, one often overlooked area of a retail operation is the in-store checkout, both from a hardware and software perspective. By implementing energy-efficient solutions at the checkout, retailers can not only reduce their operational costs, but also contribute to a more sustainable future, creating a win-win situation for both their business and their environmentally conscious customers.
 
1. Deep sleep mode

In most checkout systems, it is possible to switch off or put the system to sleep automatically when not in use, yet this capability is rarely used to its full potential. Let’s a look at an example where a checkout system is put to ‘sleep’ automatically when there is no activity for half an hour or more, or when the shop closes. “The energy audit we performed at Poiesz Supermarkets in the Netherlands is an excellent example of the potential benefits. We concluded 134 kWh per checkout can be saved when deep sleep mode is activated from 22:00 until 06:00. And because they own 599 checkouts, they can save close to €50ks on a yearly basis”, says Didier Ladegaillerie, Product Manager at Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions.

5 ways retailers reduce energy consumption

2. Optimise your cabling configuration

In many stores, peripheral devices such as barcode scanners, printers and pin pads are not connected to the checkout system directly but are powered using individual power supplies separately. This means that when the till itself is not in use, these external devices continue to consume power. “The cabling of these devices is often overlooked, but it's one of the easiest and quickest ways to reduce power consumption”, says Ladegaillerie. “Perhaps not significantly per checkout system, but when you have hundreds of checkouts and add them all up, these costs increase considerably. So, it’s certainly worth having a close look at how they are cabled.”

Do you want to discover the potential energy savings for your business, by greening up your checkout? With our durable state-of-the-art technology and software solutions that optimize hardware energy consumption, with a personalized energy audits conducted by our experts, you can bring your energy usage back on track. Easy, quick and effortless.

 
 
3. Invest in new hardware

Even though your checkout hardware might still work 'just fine', sometimes it is wise to replace it anyway. For instance, the latest generation of processors and embedded components are a lot more advanced and energy efficient than their predecessors. “It depends on the age of the processor you're using now when comparing, so it's hard to say exactly how much energy can be saved without understanding the exact environment in use. But in general, it's a good idea to make the comparison from old to new to see exactly what your unique situation is”, says Ladegaillerie. When considering investing in new in-store technologies, it is important to look for a supplier that focuses on the longest possible product life cycle. “At Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions, we provide warranties up to 5 years and ensure have spare parts availability for up to 7 years after the end of manufacturing. By providing this level of service, it ensures that you can make a sustainable and long-lasting choice.”

4. Less use of paper receipts

By offering consumers the choice between a long or short paper receipt, or even a digital receipt, you can significantly reduce your paper consumption. Many consumers now opt for e-receipts, similar to when they make online purchases. It's easy to reduce paper usage, especially with self-scanning checkouts. Additionally, we can also explain that there is functionality available to help customers reduce the size, fonts, and margins of their receipts if they wish to do so. Didier states, "In addition to reducing paper use, it's also an effortless way to demonstrate to your customers that you are aware of your role in creating a more sustainable world, making it a win-win situation on multiple fronts."

5 ways retailers reduce energy consumption

5. Energy audits

An energy audit is the perfect way to find out how you can save energy. Are you already doing everything as well as you can, or is there still work to be done? When having an audit, retailers don't have to check and implement the suggestions by themselves. “Toshiba energy audits not only consist of analysing the retailers’ current situation, but also making recommendations afterwards how to realise the identified energy savings, so they can be achieved faster so they don't have to do it by themselves”, says Meike Marquardt, Head of Marketing Europe at Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions.

Ready to save more energy in your business?

Find out how much energy you can save by Greening Up your check-out. By providing the most durable state-of-the-art technology and software solutions that optimise energy consumption, with a personalized energy audit conducted with our expert knowledge, you'll get your energy consumption back on track. Easy, quick and effortless.
Read more about our energy audit here or get in touch directly by filling in this form.

 

START TODAY AND SAVE ENERGY IN YOUR STORE

Green up

Find out how much energy you can save by Greening Up your checkout. By providing the most durable state-of-the-art technologies and software solutions that can help optimise energy consumption, with a tailored energy audit and our expert knowledge, you'll get your store energy consumption back on track.
Easy, quick and effortless.

** By submitting this form I agree that Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions, Inc. and its affiliates, including all subsidiaries and branches, may process my data as indicated above and as described in the Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Privacy Declaration.

Sign up today and we'll be in touch to schedule your free energy audit...