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Putting sustainability on the agenda in York

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A Nisa retailer is taking steps to tackle the issue of single use plastic and food waste in its stores.

The University of York has extended its range of loose fruit and vegetables and had electronic scales installed this month, providing paper bags for fresh produce.

Loose cereal, pasta, nuts and pulses are due to go into store in early March with other sustainable solutions being actively sought.

“It’s the start of what’s to come for us with the reduction in plastic use,” said Adam Viney, the University of York’s multiple site retail manager.

“Shoppers now have the option to buy products in a plastic bag or they can select loose fruit and veg, get it weighed and put it in a paper bag. It will also hopefully reduce food waste at the same time.”

The electronic scales, installed by Nisa’s EPoS team at the Market Square and Kimberlow Rise sites at the University of York, link up to the Nisa Evolution EPOS solution with bar codes printed out on stickers that then scan in at the till.

Untitled-3.jpg?mtime=20200123160149#asse“Initial sales are positive with loose fruit and veg both selling well, and it is another big tick in the box for our sustainability agenda,” said Adam.
 
“This is something the university has asked us to work on – being more sustainable and look at the use of renewable plastics - and so we are trying to get ahead of the game.”

Chris Chadwick, IT service delivery manager at Nisa, said: “Scales are easy to install, they just need power and network. The EPOS link is there so when a price is changed it will transmit relevant changes to the scales so there’s no need to change prices twice in different systems.

“It would be great to get more scales installed in Nisa partners’ stores this year to help reduce pre-packed wrap and plastic instore in the future.”