Bayfair leads the way to a sustainable future in the retail sector

Did you know that 5.8 million visitors each year recycle by purchasing their food at Bayfair Shopping Centre? For example, Bayfair saves 48 tonnes of food scraps each year, equalling the weight of 240,000 hamburgers.

Bayfair is committed to reducing its waste by recycling and in doing so is benefited enormously by reducing is waste costs by 44 percent over four years. “Our savings to date of over $240,000 indicate that it makes good business sense for us to be as environmentally friendly as possible while providing our customers with what they want,” says Steve Ellingford, Operations Manager.

In the last year alone, the centre saved more than $20,000 through its recycling efforts. Food court staff separate plastic bottles, cans, glass and paper when they clear tables, creating an efficient way of managing recycling with no double handling.

But it is not just recycling that Bayfair Shopping Centre is undertaking in its move toward sustainability. By installing more energy-efficient light bulbs and not using electricity unnecessarily, the centre’s energy use has decreased by $166,000 since 2003: “equivalent to 1,150,000 kilowatt hours, or unplugging Bayfair for six months,” Mr Ellingford says.

“Consumers are becoming more demanding of their retailers, and expect that sustainable policies are in place. They are acutely aware of the environmental issues society faces, and they want to know that we are equally aware and acting upon it.”

Mr Ellingford said while Bayfair still has some work ahead to achieve its ultimate goal of full sustainability, he believes it is important to let customers know the extent of progress being made. In doing so, Bayfair has emerged as a leader in the retail sector, giving consumers a choice about where they shop, with Mr Ellingford saying this freedom of choice puts pressure on Bayfair’s competitors to follow suit.

“The retail industry is slowly changing in support of sustainable retailers. Consumers are the only force capable of changing the habits of retailers, and we feel it is important that they use this power. Should other retailers, in particular shopping centres, adopt sustainability policies, the overall effect on local environments would be dramatic and high waste removal costs would not have to be passed onto the consumer, creating a win-win situation for everyone.”

Mr Ellingford says he expects shoppers to become more conscious of their own behaviour at home toward the environment, particularly once they became aware of the potential financial benefits.

The financial benefits of this initiative have resulted in reducing tenants’ overheads and operating costs, with a direct impact on bottom lines.

Recycling Facts
o Food waste is no longer going into land fills. In the first month 48 x 100kg of food was removed from the  waste stream;
o Food court fluid waste – on average 1,000L per month is removed that would have gone into land fills;
o Recycling - cardboard, paper, food court waste oil, plastic bottles and shrink wrap are all collected and recycled;
o Over 150 wool sacks of shrink wrap is recycled each year. That is enough plastic to spread over 46 rugby fields;
o The recycled cardboard each year saves approximately 8,143 trees;
o Bayfair recycles 6 tonnes of paper per month, equal to the weight of one mature mammoth.