Danish furniture retailer JYSK is scrapping top plastic on its pallets as part of its ongoing sustainability efforts, which will ensure savings for both the business and the environment.

The change has already been made at most of JYSK’s distribution centres, and a smart replacement has been found, which will save around 920,000 kilograms of plastic annually.

“It’s a step towards a more sustainable future for JYSK. Until now, we have put top plastic on all the pallets, but thanks to optimisation, it’s no longer needed that often. So, we’ve come up with a reusable cover for stores who may need it,” says Michael Olesen, Retail Operational Manager at JYSK.

The purpose of the top plastic was to protect the goods from the weather, but most of the pallets go straight into storage at the stores. In rare cases, the pallets may need to be outside for a while, and here the stores may use the new covers.

To ensure they are easy to use, a workgroup consisting mainly of retailers from different countries worked on a smart design. Selected stores then tested the covers.

755 JYSK stores have already received their new covers, while an additional 100 stores have placed orders to get theirs.

In addition to being gentler to the environment, the change will also result in financial savings. And as an added bonus, the new initiative is also more efficient for those working at the distribution centres.

“It saves them time and that makes for a better work environment which is always a win,” says Michael Olesen.