The Furniture Recycling Group (TFR Group) looks to provide a solution to a £60 million retail dilemma.
Step into the retail world, and the ‘Goldilocks effect’ hits hard. 600,000 nearly-new mattresses are returned annually under comfort night guarantees, not because they’re faulty, but they’re just “not right.” This ever-growing trend has eaten into retailer pockets, draining a huge £60 million annually.
The Furniture Recycling Group (TFR Group) had launched a new machine as part of its rejuvenation process, which has the potential to recoup £17.2 million of these losses annually. The bespoke machine cleans mattresses returned under comfort night guarantees to NHS grade standards, guaranteeing impeccable quality and enabling them to be resold.
In addition to the sanitisation machine, TFR Group’s bespoke data capture system provides real-time data on rejuvenated mattresses. This ensures not just traceability, but also underscores corporate responsibility. Brands are able to ensure a secure chain of ownership, keeping them accountable and safe in the knowledge that their mattresses won’t end up in auction houses or landfills. This not only safeguards the environment from the challenges of bulky waste disposal but also allows retailers to recoup losses effectively.
Nick Oettinger, CEO of The Furniture Recycling Group, said: “Retailers face more than just financial losses with returned comfort night guarantee mattresses; their brand reputation hinges on the quality of the products they sell, something which they lose sight of if the product is sold on to an auction house.
“Our sanitisation machine and rejuvenation service ensures quality and integrity by meeting top sanitisation standards, while each mattresses’ journey can be traced back by the retailer.
“It’s not just about the bottom line – every returned mattress currently carries an environmental price tag. Whether they’re ending up in auction houses or being sent to landfill, the sheer volume of discarded mattresses equates to 1.5 million sqm – that’s 220 football pitches! With TFR Group, retailers can confidently reintroduce these mattresses into the market, knowing they’re contributing to a more sustainable future.”
Industry leaders like Simba and Bensons for Beds have already integrated TFR Group’s services into their operations, witnessing significant benefits.
Witnessing the rejuvenation process first hand, Ian Atkins from Simba said: “Sanitisation of a returned comfort night guarantee mattress is something developed, refined and perfected by Nick and his fantastic team at TFR Group. They have managed to define the standard practice of mattress sanitisation and created systems to protect the mattress from any harmful bacteria or chemicals. Their use of automated chemical cleaning and an UV disinfectant tunnel is one of a kind and we’re not aware of anything else like that in the country.”
With five years’ experience in rejuvenation, TFR Group has rejuvenated over 200,000 mattresses for their customers, estimating to have returned over £40 million worth of revenue back into their accounts.
The Furniture Recycling Group (TFR Group) is a soft furnishing recycling company specialising in mattress recycling and rejuvenation, to champion a circular economy. The company has recycled over 3.5 million mattresses to date, and currently recycles 16,000 mattresses and rejuvenates 2,000 comfort night guarantee mattresses every week.
