Stamford Climate Action Group writes about sustainable retail on the High Street

Sustainability is no longer a buzzword, but a national goal, writes Stamford Town Council’s newest councillor Julia Ohela on behalf of Stamford Climate Action Group.

The UK Government has committed to reaching net zero emissions by 2050, a legally binding target set in law. In response, industries across the country are taking action.

What is Stamford doing to tackle the challenge? I interviewed a couple of local businesses to find out.

“We’ve been plastic-free from day one,” says Tara Carlile-Swift, founder of home fragrance brand Freckleface. “Our packaging is UK-printed, 100% plastic-free, and sourced through small local firms. This makes it much more difficult to develop products and keep margins down as we now ship abroad, but we are determined to lead the way in growing into a global brand whilst staying true to our beliefs.”

Tara says sustainability often comes at a cost. “We’d love to install solar panels and recycle leftover wax, but there’s no support or funding. There should be real investment, not just advice.”

Despite the challenges, one in three consumers say they are willing to pay more to purchase sustainable products and services (Deloitte, 2024) and 56% of small retailers have introduced green initiatives (Small Business Britain, 2024).

At the Cornish Bakery, manager Sean Milton says environmental values are at the heart of the bakery chain’s operations. “We’ve removed all plastic bottles - our water is sold in recycled aluminium. We’re rolling out new bins for the different types of waste, and even our coffee lids are being redesigned to cut plastic.”

The bakery also tackles food waste. “Unsold items go to charities like George’s Food Hub and Second Helpings. And leftover croissants are reused in recipes such as the Cornish pudding or the cherry and almond croissant.”

Sean says visible action matters. “A customer told us how great it was to see our waste properly sorted. It shows we care.”

With committed businesses and the right support, Stamford’s High Street could set a powerful example of what sustainable retail looks like; practical, creative, and built to last.