IKEA is investing £31.5 million across its Peterborough and Doncaster Customer Distribution Centres (CDC) to make online fulfilment more efficient and sustainable.In Peterborough, new technology is packaging customer orders to size and reducing material usage by up to 30 percent, by preventing waste from oversized boxes and filling paper. In Doncaster, IKEA is trialling a new regional fulfilment capability, serving customers in the north and Scotland from a closer location to them.

Together, the investments will strengthen IKEA’s UK fulfilment network as more customers choose to shop online, with online sales accounting for almost half (43.3 percent) of IKEA’s total UK sales in financial year 2026.

Technology upgrades transform Peterborough CDC

IKEA is investing £30 million in new technology for its Peterborough CDC, with the upgrades taking place over a two-year period.

As part of this investment, IKEA has launched new PackSize technology to prevent waste from oversized cardboard boxes and filling materials by packaging customer orders to size. On average, the technology reduces material usage by up to 30 percent and void fill by up to 60 percent.

The technology is expected to increase the share of parcels processed through automation at the Peterborough CDC from around half (47 percent) today to three-quarters (75 percent) in 2027, helping the fulfilment team prepare orders for delivery more efficiently. These additional orders would otherwise have been packaged by manually creating a packing carton which includes having to measure the article then creating the cartons to fit the order.

Three drones and nests were introduced at the site in January to support inventory management. They scan each aisle in short cycles, helping IKEA to keep stock in the right place and consistently meet customer demand.

The technology upgrades are enabling IKEA’s fulfilment team to work more efficiently and will not impact staffing levels at the centre

Doncaster CDC brings fulfilment closer to customers

IKEA is investing £1.5 million in trialling a new fulfilment capability at its Doncaster CDC. The site now fulfils orders for customers in the Gateshead, Edinburgh and Glasgow areas, with plans for Sheffield to follow.

By fulfilling these orders from Doncaster rather than Peterborough, IKEA expects to reduce emissions from delivery journeys by an estimated 280 tonnes of CO2 annually¹.

The new capability has created an additional 80 jobs at the Doncaster site.

David McCabe, CEO and CSO of IKEA UK&IE, said: “At IKEA, we are always on the lookout for new ways to do things better, and that’s true across the operational side of our business just as much as the innovative new products and services we bring to market.

These investments in our Peterborough and Doncaster Customer Distribution Centres will ensure fulfilment is smoother than ever and reduce our environmental footprint – while positioning the business for long-term success by strengthening operational efficiency and supporting sustainable growth.

Our wonderful teams of co-workers in Peterborough and Doncaster work tirelessly getting orders to our customers, and we couldn’t function without them. We’re empowering our people to get the best out of these new technologies, and we’re excited to watch them grow alongside the business.”

¹In financial year 2027 (September 2026 – August 2027), IKEA expects to deliver 2,361 lorryloads to Scotland and Northern England from its Doncaster CDC that would otherwise have been delivered from its Peterborough CDC. On average, delivering from Doncaster saves 90 miles per trip, totalling 212,000 miles annually. As every 1,000 miles travelled in a lorry generates 1.325 tonnes of CO2, IKEA expects to reduce emissions by 280 tonnes over the year.

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Bringing their brands together under one roof as a showroom and sustainability hub, they are also partnering with Vertex and Roomly, with the space being their first UK showroom. Additional partners also include Graphica Display and Treelocate.

The 103kcr is being created as a dedicated industry space, a beautifully designed showroom where consultants, designers, agencies, and associations can bring their clients to meet, discover and be inspired.

Included in the space is a private meeting and presentation space. There will also be live product and sustainable material displays, with hangers, mannequins and retail display solutions. Best of all, there’s no hiring fee for qualifying partners.

Organisations can also hire the space for events, offering a great space to showcase products. Already in the calendar are events with SDEA, POPAI, and Antalis.

For more information, contact info@hol-group.com.

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Coffee pod recycling points are expanding to more than 200 Co-op stores following the success of a trial between the leading convenience retailer and Podback, the coffee pod recycling service.

The roll-out of the expanded trial is now underway with dedicated Podback recycling points being installed in Co-op stores located across the south-west of England and South Wales to bring quick and convenient coffee pod recycling to more local communities.

The partnership began with a 30-store trial, launched in November 2025, including Co-op’s ‘sustainability showcase stores’ – stores such as Co-op’s new store in Attleborough, Norfolk which is designed to test and demonstrate new ideas, technologies and solutions that can reduce environmental impact, improve energy efficiency and further support Co-op’s ongoing commitment to responsible retailing.

The initial 30-store trial saw eight tonnes of pods returned by residents in Co-op’s communities. equivalent to over 500,000 used pods.

Commenting on the expansion of the partnership, Podback Executive Director Rick Hindley, said: “This is another very positive step for Podback as we expand our nationwide drop-off network, and give more people more ways to recycle coffee pods locally. We’re confident that our partnership with Co-op stores in local high streets and communities is going to make a significant positive contribution to our ongoing work to provide simple and convenient ways to recycle coffee pods.  We’re excited to see how our relationship with Co-op continues to develop.”

Scott McHarg, Head of Sustainability, Co-op, said: “We’re focussed on delivering social value to our members, customers and communities on the issues they care about, and support them in making sustainable choices and reducing their environmental impact. Our stores are created to be more than just a shop, with a range of added services to make everyday life easier for consumers. We’re delighted to see the Podback trial succeed and grow, it provides an easy and convenient way for communities to make small changes to their everyday life that can create a positive and lasting impact for our planet and natural environment.”

Podback accepts plastic and aluminium beverage pods sold by its member brands, which customers can recycle at more than 1500 drop-off points across the UK.  Through Podback plastic and aluminium are recovered and recycled by UK-based reprocessors and coffee grounds are transformed into renewable energy (biogas) and soil improver for agriculture.

Consumers can find their nearest Podback recycling point via Podback.org/recycling-map

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Co-op has launched its newest store to serve and support the Norfolk market town of Attleborough (Friday 18th September), including a focus on incorporating and showcasing the latest sustainability features in its efforts to demonstrate and drive innovation as part of Co-op’s ongoing commitment to responsible retailing.

The store team were joined by the head teacher and pupils from the nearby Rosecroft Primary School, who helped to cut the ribbon and declare the new store open to serve the community. The pupils had also designed ‘sustainability themed’ bunting as part of the launch.

Located in London Road, Attleborough, the store opens between 7am-10pm daily offering Co-op’s extensive range and choice of fresh and chilled products; in-store bakery, hot food and, Costa Coffee Express. This sits alongside Co-op’s focus on meal deals and food to go; Fairtrade products; ready meals and meal ideas – including Co-op’s new Indian-inspired ‘Served’ range; pizzas; fresh meats and dairy; chilled beers and wines, fresh flowers and, everyday essentials.

Co-op’s latest ‘sustainability showcase store’ has been designed to communicate and share the sustainability initiatives that often go unnoticed behind the scenes, helping members and customers better understand the positive impact of everyday store operations. Measures range from motion activated fridge lights to water efficient fixtures, which are all built into the store design.

The new store – which has created 10 local jobs – will be utilised as a ‘test, learn and adopt’ environment allowing new sustainability technologies to be trialled, with the potential to roll-out and scale across Co-op’s wider estate. This includes coffee pod and soft plastic recycling services, making it easier for residents in the community to recycle, with soft plastic recycling allowing residents to return and recycle materials not widely accepted via household kerbside recycling.

EV charging points are also available,  allowing vehicle charging whilst customer’s shop.

An InPost Locker is available for convenient parcel collection services, which can help to reduce mileage in last-mile logistics by consolidating multiple deliveries into a single stop and eliminate repeat door-to-door trips from missed deliveries.

The site also features nature-positive features such as wildflower meadow and bird-nesting bricks, helping to support local biodiversity and species such as sparrows and swifts.

Alex Ball, Co-op’s Area Manager, said: “We have had a great response. We are delighted to invest in Attleborough, and proud to launch Co-op’s newest store and, latest sustainability showcase location – the store looks fantastic. We invest to create local stores which are more than just a shop, they are a hub contributing to local life and meeting the needs of communities. We have a focus on offering quality products, value and choice that can be enjoyed by everyone along with a range of added services. In addition, as a showcase store, we demonstrate our sustainability work in action – often going unnoticed behind the scenes, in-store communications inform our members and customers on the impactful changes we are making in our stores to help us on the important journey to net-zero.

We’re proud to serve Attleborough, and look forward to welcoming the community as they pop into their new Co-op. We’re here to contribute to local life and conveniently serve and support the community.”

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The new identity launches as Crisis marks this year’s Secondhand September with UNSOLD. RETOLD., a creative collaboration bringing together 12 independent makers and designers to transform unsold donated garments into one-of-a-kind fashion pieces. Giving clothing a new chapter, the initiative sees garments that might otherwise have gone to textile recycling reimagined, reconstructed and brought back to life.

For UNSOLD. RETOLD., the 12 makers were invited into Crisis’ Canning Town warehouse to select unsold donated garments and were given a simple brief: give them a new life.

The result is a series of limited collections in which existing garments have been cut, reconstructed, woven, embellished, printed, painted and transformed into completely new, limited edition pieces. The collections go on sale in 16 Crisis stores across London and online, with 50 percent of sales going towards Crisis’ work to end homelessness and 50 percent to the maker.

Dalziel & Pow partnered with Crisis to create a distinctive identity for the ongoing maker collaboration programme ‘Create for Crisis’ and to bring UNSOLD. RETOLD. to life in-store. With the campaign launching just days ahead of London Fashion Week, the brief was to create something with enough personality, energy and attitude to stand alongside the work of the makers themselves.

The result is bold, playful and proudly handmade. Dalziel & Pow has given Create for Crisis a confident new identity, rooted in the spirit of making, creativity and collaboration – designed to feel as individual as the people and pieces behind it.

The new logo brings together two core elements. The first element, the ‘Create for’ lettering, was lino cut and printed by Dalziel & Pow using traditional techniques, reflecting the craft, time and human touch at the heart of the initiative. Alongside it, the original Crisis logo has been playfully reworked, with a strip sliced from the top of its square and lifted away, creating the impression of a pair of scissors at work. Together, the elements give the identity a distinctly handmade feel, celebrating the creativity and craft behind Create for Crisis.

To complement the new identity, Dalziel & Pow created a trio of graphic symbols: a cluster of pins, a sustainability symbol wrapped around a button, and a pair of scissors. Each was lino printed by hand, bringing a tactile, human quality to the system while representing the ideas at the heart of Create for Crisis – craft, creativity, sustainability, collaboration and joy.

The symbols feature across a suite of in-store assets, from window displays and rail boards to swing tags, creating a cohesive campaign presence throughout the stores. All are brought together under the campaign headline: ‘UNSOLD. RETOLD.’.

Within Crisis stores, each participating maker has been given a dedicated space, marked out with a suite of campaign assets designed to celebrate both the collective spirit of UNSOLD. RETOLD. and the individuality of the people behind it.

Because no two makers – or their creative approaches – are alike, neither are their retail stories. Dalziel & Pow created 24 bespoke pieces of in-store storytelling, two for each of the 12 participating makers and designers, drawing directly from their individual personalities, creative practices and work. Together, they create a cohesive campaign presence across the stores, while giving each maker the space to bring their own creative identity to the fore.

The 12-strong collective spans fashion, textiles, knitwear, weaving, reconstruction and upcycling. It includes Marie Lueder, founder of London fashion label LUEDER, who recently created a custom look for RM of BTS for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final halftime show (Elephant & Castle); Hadiyah Hussain (Walthamstow); Olli Hull (Camden and Streatham);The Marcon Court Project (Peckham); Planet Soph (Hackney and Kilburn); Owen Edward Snaith (Finsbury Park);Grandpa’s Shirts (Islington); Kabo Clothing (Brick Lane); Ashley Jess Knight (Camberwell); Green Ancestors(Ealing and Putney); Sean Marsh (Muswell Hill); and Cheshe (Dalston and Archway).

Molly Goldby, Designer, Branding & Communications at Dalziel & Pow, said: “It’s always a joy working with Crisis and this was no different. To mirror the craft of ‘UNSOLD. RETOLD.’, we gave the campaign an organic, handmade style and lino cut the Create for Crisis logo. Incorporating the designers’ sketches and annotations enriched the final result, making this a collaborative, experimental, and joyful project.”

Liz Choonara, Executive Director of Commerce and Enterprise at Crisis, said: “Dalziel & Pow have developed a bold new identity for Create for Crisis and brought UNSOLD. RETOLD. to life in a way that celebrates the individuality at the heart of the project – creating a cohesive campaign that still gives each maker’s own creative identity space to shine. Dalziel & Pow’s work on Create for Crisis and UNSOLD. RETOLD. builds on its ongoing creative relationship with Crisis, including last year’s Pop-Up Crisis on Savile Row and the Crisis Dropshop retail concept.

Together, the new identity and campaign give unsold clothing a new story, independent makers a platform and Create for Crisis a bold new presence in-store.”

To see the full Create for Crisis collections visit: https://shopfromcrisis.org.uk/collections/create-for-crisis

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AO has surpassed the impressive milestone of 10 million household appliances processed at its state-of-the-art recycling plant.

If all the appliances recycled at the facility were laid end-to-end, it is estimated that they would stretch around 11,000km – roughly the distance from AO’s recycling facility in Telford, Shropshire, to Buenos Aires, Argentina.

To mark the occasion, AO wrapped the 10 millionth appliance to pass through the site – a washing machine – in gold.

The Bolton-headquartered company is the only UK electrical retailer to wholly own its own recycling plant, which has been operational since 2016.

Every year, around half a million fridges are ‘fed’ to AO’s 80-tonne fridge crushing machine Bertha. More than 500,000 washing machines, tumble dryers and cookers also pass through the site annually – these are recycled or skilfully refurbished on site, with large quantities going on to be sold via trade and outlet shops as part of AO’s commitment to reuse and repurpose.

Robert Sant, group recycling director at AO, said: “We’re incredibly proud to have processed 10 million appliances in a decade.

It’s been amazing to watch our operation grow over the past ten years and this feels like a really significant milestone.”

Output from Bertha makes its way to AO’s nearby plastics recycling and refining facility, which uses state-of-the-art electrostatic and sink-float technology to separate and sort around 10,000 tonnes of fridge plastic annually.

Having invested £2 million into an extruder last year, AO is able to produce high-quality HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene) and ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) pellets, which can be used to make a wide range of new products.

Plastic processed at the site is currently turned into bathroom extractor fans, sold under well-known brands, including Manrose and Vent-Axia. There are also plans to expand into new areas such as floorcare and broadband products in the future.

Robert added: “Investing millions of pounds in an extruder last year marked another big step forward in our circular capabilities, as it allows us to create more substantial, longer-lasting products.

Our ‘North Star’, as it were, is still to take plastic from an old fridge, process it and feed it into a new one. We’re still not quite there yet but that goal gets closer all the time.”

AO customers can add the Remove & Recycle service at checkout when buying a new appliance; this is included at no extra cost for AO Members.

For anyone not buying a new appliance, AO’s standalone Collect & Recycle service also lets customers book a collection of their old appliance on its own, from just £30.

To see how the process works, you can watch a short video called ‘Recycling the AO Way here.

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The new vans will be deployed within the M25 and across the UK and will take DPD UK’s EV fleet to over 4,000 in total.

The first vehicles will enter service in September, with all of the vans scheduled to be operational by the end of October, helping to deliver what is expected to be a record-breaking peak Christmas period for DPD.

The investment is part of DPD’s ongoing aim to be the UK’s leader in sustainable delivery. In 2025 DPD delivered over 85 million parcels on electric vehicles including a predominantly diesel-free final mile service within the North and South Circular in London. Other initiatives include DPD’s involvement in the high-speed, West Coast Main Line low carbon rail logistics trial with Go-Express.

Olly Craughan, Head of Sustainability DPD UK, commented, “Large panel vans are the workhorse of our final mile operation so the new eSprinters will give us the capability we need to support far more lower emission deliveries over a wider area. Our EV fleet currently operates in more than 7,300 postcodes across the UK, largely focused on inner city locations where we are able to increase the benefits of operating electric vehicles through a decrease in air pollution. The eSprinters can carry the same payload as the equivalent 3.5t Diesel while the new battery technology and improved range mean more of our depots can start deploying larger EVs further afield.

We started this journey in 2018 with the UK’s first all-electric parcel delivery depot and the feedback from our EV drivers and our customers continues to be overwhelmingly positive. The advances in both the vehicle technology and the UK’s charging infrastructure have helped with the wider roll out and ensuring we stay on course to meet our carbon reduction target.”

As part of the deal, the new vans will be supported by Mercedes-Benz CompleteCare repair and maintenance support to maximise uptime and keep deliveries moving.

Iain Forsyth, Managing Director of Mercedes-Benz Vans UK, said: “In a fast-moving business landscape, it’s becoming increasingly vital for businesses like DPD operating at scale, to need partnerships that ensure vans remain operational to meet customer demands. DPD deliver seven days a week, 52 weeks a year so it feels good to have their backs and really deliver for them.”

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BREEAM In-Use is the internationally recognised green building certification for operational property and is widely adopted across the real estate sector.

Cribbs’ achievement follows a comprehensive programme of sustainability optimisation across all operations and assets, reflecting its proactive approach to identifying and implementing best-in-class environmental practices, from energy efficiency and resource management to enhancing tenant and customer interactions.

A key contributor to securing the certification is Cribbs’ People, Planet, Purpose campaign which showcases to shoppers and tenants how it is taking steps to encourage greater energy efficiency across the site.

This has resulted in Cribbs achieving ISO50001 certification highlighting continued commitment to improving energy management, installing LED lighting across 98 percent of the site, investing in a solar thermal domestic hot water system powering hot water taps across toilet blocks, replacing its inefficient plant with modern heating/cooling and fresh air systems. Meanwhile, Cribbs has introduced a robotic cleaning machine which uses 35% less water than traditional cleaning methods.

The BREEAM certification also follows wider investment by Cribbs including £300,000 in pedestrian and cycle pathway extensions, installing more electric vehicle charging points, and collaborating with local travel networks offering subsidised rates for employees to encourage more green travel.

Cribbs has also developed a strong recycling and waste procedure which is constantly evolving. Over the past year the team have introduced a tenant waste and recycling strategy, reinstating a recycling coffee grinds initiative for shoppers to collect unwanted coffee grinds for their gardens, and regularly recycling unused uniforms from centre staff.

Meanwhile, Cribbs has undertaken a full biodiversity and ecology management plans which has led to the development of a wildflower garden and the introduction of native beehives to improve biodiversity across the estate.

Alongside the sustainability improvements Cribbs has continued to increase its commitment to the local community which includes its sustainable and accessible free events calendar, investment in first aid, mental health, and dementia and autism awareness training for its guest services team, refurbishing its accessibility unit, and introducing care packages and new sanitary bins across male toilets as part of the Boys Need Bins campaign.

Cribbs’ BREEAM achievement marks a key milestone in its sustainability and wider ESG journey, and the retail destination is working closely with its Sovereign Centros from CBRE asset management team and its partners at Savills to look at more ways to reduce energy consumption and improve waste management, including the installation of solar panels across the centre and new ideas to encourage tenant and community sustainability initiatives.

Katie Searle, Director, Asset Management, at Sovereign Centros from CBRE, said: “We are delighted to have become one of only a few UK retail destinations to have a BREEAM Excellent certification. The award highlights all the hard work the team have undertaken over the past few years as we strive to become one of the most sustainability-friendly destinations in the country.

Becoming BREEAM certified is one of the key steps on this journey and we are looking forward to working closely with our partners at Savills, tenants and the local community to implement new ideas to not only support our ESG goals, but also those of our retailers and the wider community.”

Sovereign Centros from CBRE provide full asset management services across Cribbs on behalf of M&G Real Estate, while Time Retail Partners and Cushman & Wakefield are retained letting agents for the centre, with Green & Partners retained in the leasing advisory role.

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By Inge Bujakiewicz-Baars, Head of Sustainability at ReBound Returns

This summer, sustainable fashion shared the spotlight with villa drama thanks to eBay’s partnership with Love Island, which put pre-loved clothing at the heart of one of the UK’s biggest television programmes. The partnership appeared to influence viewers too, with around a third of Love Island fans* saying the show made them more likely to buy pre-loved fashion. It’s not the only example of circular fashion taking centre stage on screen. Prime Video’s RE/style, a six-part design competition hosted by Emma Willis, challenges eight European designers to create runway looks using only second-hand clothing.

Together, these programmes suggest that circular fashion is becoming part of mainstream entertainment rather than a niche sustainability conversation. The question is whether this could be the summer that buying pre-loved becomes a more established consumer habit.

The rise of ‘sustainable girl summer’

Summer clothing is often among the most short-lived purchases in a wardrobe. Holiday outfits, festival looks and occasionwear are frequently bought for a single event before being forgotten, while social media continues to reinforce the idea that every occasion requires something new. By presenting pre-loved fashion as desirable rather than second best, Love Island has helped challenge those habits.

Turning interest into everyday behaviour

Creating interest is only the first step. The bigger challenge for retailers is converting growing consumer appetite for resale into services that are convenient enough for customers to use repeatedly.

A relationship with a customer does not need to end at the point of purchase. Branded resale, trade-in programmes, repair services, take-back schemes and rental all extend the life of products while helping retailers recover more value from existing inventory. They also provide greater visibility into how products perform throughout their lifecycle, offering valuable insight into durability, demand and customer behaviour.

The commercial case for these services is becoming stronger as regulation accelerates the shift towards circular retail. The EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) introduces new expectations around product durability, repairability, resource efficiency and the management of unsold goods. While implementation will develop over time, the direction of travel is clear: retailers will face increasing scrutiny over how products remain in use for longer and how value is recovered beyond the first sale.

Offering circular services, however, is only one part of the challenge. Consumers are unlikely to embrace resale, repair or take-back schemes if they are slower or more complicated than buying new. Retailers therefore need the operational infrastructure to support them, from reliable reverse logistics and consistent product grading to efficient repair networks and straightforward digital journeys that make participating in circular services simple.

Building on the trend

With TV shows increasing interest in pre-loved fashion, we are seeing how circular fashion can capture mainstream attention when it is presented in ways consumers genuinely want to engage with. For retailers, the opportunity now is to turn that cultural momentum into practical systems that make resale, repair and take-back part of everyday shopping. Those that make circular participation as easy as buying new will be better placed to keep products in use for longer while meeting changing consumer expectations and regulatory requirements.

Image courtesy of iStock. Supplied by ReBound Returns. 

*Data based on anecdotal feedback from Love Island superfans across Reddit forums and Facebook groups. One fan highlighted Jasmine’s outfit rewearing, while more than a third said they were more open to buying pre-loved clothing after seeing Islanders’ style.

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