26/11/2010
Businesses could save up to 54 per cent on their heating bills if they were to stop overheating stores and keep their doors closed.
That's according to experts from Cambridge University, who found that if just two-thirds of shops were to do this, the carbon emissions saved would be the equivalent of taking more than 1.1million cars off the road.
According to The Daily Mail, it's thought that retailers keep the doors open to attract shoppers, despite the public finding it uncomfortable because they're wrapped up warm as they walk around outdoors.
Furthermore, the Cambridge study found that leaving doors open didn't encourage shoppers to enter. When looking at visitor numbers to the Rymans stationery shop in Cambridge, researchers discovered that closing the doors actually attracted on average 250 people more every time. However, the amount of sales remained roughly the same.
The study investigated energy use at the stationery shop and the independent Cambridge Toy Shop and found that when the doors were closed, Rymans saved 54 per cent of their energy use and the toy store used 30 per cent less.
This has led to calls for the UK to follow New York's example and fine shops for leaving doors open whilst the heating or air conditioning is on.
In Cambridge 300 retailers have voluntarily signed up to a pledge to keep doors shut, in a bid to save money and drive down carbon emissions.
This could encourage shops across the country to start closing their doors, especially if they want to save on energy bills. However, it might spark a competitiveness in window displays as retailers turn to other methods of attracting shoppers.
This presents a real business opportunity to companies that supply insulating doors, window-dressing props or even marketing campaigns, because it will force retailers to compete more creatively with one another. With a sudden spike in demand for such products and services, suppliers might need to turn to invoice discount services as a way of generating cash quickly which can be used to temporarily expand the work force and take on as many new orders as possible.
Laura Nineham