Spotlight on Sustainability
Discover how Nuttall is helping retailers balance creativity, cost and conscience.
In retail design and manufacturing, sustainability is no longer a side conversation. It is a fundamental part of how spaces are imagined, built and delivered.
From the materials used to the way they are sourced and installed, retailers are rethinking what responsible design really means.
We sat down with Matt Hornblower, CEO of Nuttall, to discuss the progress being made, the challenges of sourcing sustainably, and how a joined-up approach can make real change possible.
The Challenge of Scale
Q: Sustainability is high on every retailer’s agenda, but what is the biggest challenge you see?
Matt: Many retailers genuinely want to make the shift, but the real challenge is scale. It is easy to create a sustainability-led concept store that looks great and sets out the vision, but it is much harder to deliver that same approach consistently across an entire estate while maintaining commercial value.
There is a balance to be found between ambition and practicality. The intent is there, but translating it into a repeatable model that fits multiple sites is what makes sustainability such a complex challenge.
Progress with Alternative Materials
Q: Are you seeing progress when it comes to sustainable materials?
Matt: Absolutely. We are seeing real momentum around using sustainable alternatives to replace traditional materials such as MDF and solid surfaces.
What is encouraging is that these new materials are now achieving the same design quality and finish, often with only a marginal cost increase. That is a big step forward. It shows that sustainable design can be achieved without compromising creativity or value.
For a long time, sustainability in retail has been seen as a premium choice, something that is nice to have but not practical for rollouts. That perception is starting to change. We are now seeing sustainable design move from being aspirational to genuinely achievable.
The Hidden Cost of Sourcing
Q: Sourcing plays a big part in the sustainability conversation. What challenges are you seeing there?
Matt: Global sourcing continues to be a key obstacle. When volume and time permits, metal components in particular are procured and sourced from the Far East or Eastern Europe. That approach obviously helps manage cost; however, it also brings a hidden sustainability challenge in the carbon footprint that comes with global logistics and the impact of long-distance shipping. It’s not just about what materials we use, but where they come from and how they reach us.
Sourcing from further afield requires longer lead times, which adds another layer of complexity for retailers trying to react quickly and maintain agile to market demands.
As consumer expectations evolve and the global economy shifts, I believe we are heading towards a tipping point. At some stage, the environmental cost and operational impact of global sourcing will start to outweigh the financial savings.
Finding the Balance
Q: So how can retailers find a balance between cost and conscience?
Matt: There is not a simple answer. Every retailer operates differently, and every project has its own parameters. The key is to start exploring the balance between economic cost and environmental cost, rather than focusing solely on one or the other.
That means asking new questions, not just how much something costs to make, but what the long-term environmental cost is. It is about creating a dialogue between designers, manufacturers and retailers to find smarter, more sustainable solutions that still deliver on value.
I believe that if key stakeholders are laser-focused on sustainability, solutions will exist to achieve low cost and best value without relying on global, high-volume procurement. This will require full alignment between retailers and suppliers; however, I also believe that consumers’ expectations will continue to drive sustainability higher on the agenda and influence their loyalty.
The Role of PRISM
Q: How does Nuttall support retailers in navigating these challenges?
Matt: Through PRISM, our full end-to-end service, we are able to manage everything in-house, from design and UK-based manufacturing to project management and installation.
As we look at projects from cradle to grave, we consider the best overall solution from a sustainability aspect. For example, we will suggest changing a design of a fixture to a more sustainable solution that has nothing to do with the materials, instead it could be designing differently to reduce the impact of the delivery and installation.
Prism provides us with complete control over quality, timescales and materials. It also means we can develop and test sustainable alternatives quickly and at scale, without compromising creativity or value.
By bringing everything together under one roof, we can help retailers move from ambition to action, turning sustainable ideas into tangible, repeatable outcomes.
Extending the Life of Retail Spaces
Q: Can you provide other examples, outside of manufacturing, of how sustainability is embedded in your approach?
Matt: Our Refurb & Refresh service is a good example of that. High-traffic areas in stores are always subject to wear and tear, but replacing tired fittings does not have to trigger a full refit. Through Refurb & Refresh, we offer fast, practical ways to lift retail environments with minimal cost, minimal disruption and maximum sustainability impact.
By repairing, reworking and repurposing existing fixtures, we can extend the life of in-store displays and environments while reducing waste, cost and environmental impact. It is a simple idea, but one that delivers real, measurable change.
Looking Ahead
The retail sector is at a turning point. As sustainability continues to shape customer expectations and corporate responsibility, the focus is shifting from one-off statements to systemic change.
For Nuttall, that means partnering with retailers to design, prototype and deliver environments that not only look exceptional but also make a measurable difference.
As Matt puts it:
“We do not have all the answers, but we are committed to finding them together.”
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