New research of UK retail outlets has revealed that 84 per cent of stores now offer digital receipts and 24 per cent no longer offer paper alternatives at all.
Digital receipts are becoming ever more prevalent throughout the UK, as increasing numbers of stores ditch paper receipts in favour of a more environmentally friendly alternative.
The eco credentials of digital receipts aren’t the only reason that stores are shunning paper receipts, however. Digital receipts also provide invaluable opportunities for data collection, enabling companies to improve the customer experience through careful analysis of customer data.
eyosretail has carried out research of almost 30 UK retailers. The survey found that 76 per cent of the stores analysed offered paper receipts. A high percentage (84%) offered digital receipts, while 60 per cent gave customers the option of both paper and digital receipts.
The research found that four in 25 retailers (16%) provide customers with paper receipts only. Interestingly, a greater percentage (24%) of retailers have started to rely exclusively on digital receipts.
The carbon footprint of a paper receipt is considerable, with each receipt emitting an estimated 2.5g of carbon during its lifetime. This includes all stages of a paper receipt’s production, together with any time spent in transit from a production facility to a warehouse and then eventually the store where it’ll be used.
Simon Harris, Sales Director at eyosretail said, “our research around digital receipt offerings from UK retailers is interesting as it shows how far things have progressed in cutting out paper receipts altogether.
“The environmental impact of them, whilst not commonly known, is enormous so we would always advise consumers to ask for a digital receipt if it’s not offered in-store, plus it's much more convenient if you ever want a refund or return."
