Starting an environmentally-minded business nowadays is now possible for anyone. An example is the gaining popularity of eco-friendly franchise business models. In this article, we at Fantastic Services bring you a list of the benefits of developing a cleaning franchise in the UK, the home cleaning industry and ways to go green.
What are the main environmental trends for businesses?
What are the main reasons behind customers demanding that the products and services they use are environmentally friendly? Without a doubt, it is the coronavirus outbreak and global warming that are the foremost reasons.
It is fortunate that environmental friendliness is an indispensable feature of the modern brand because the customer would consider the sustainability and eco-friendly aspects of the product or service he or she is using.
Let’s check some of the leading environmental trends in business now and what to bear in mind if you want to succeed in building an eco-friendly company in cleaning franchises.
- Greener packaging – this will be an essential trend in the future as plastic waste significantly affects the environment. Many countries are introducing strict rules on single-use plastics. These rules are driving more and more companies to recycle packaging or products to reduce the harmful impact of this kind of rubbish on nature.
- Reducing customer and business waste – аs the planet’s population grows, so does the waste people throw away. Despite all the efforts put into separate rubbish collection in recent years, the environment cannot cope with the amount of junk that people and businesses produce.
Actively reducing rubbish is gaining popularity among companies and businesses. How is it working? Through separate waste collection containers, minimising or eliminating packaging, and increasing digitisation – sending documents online rather than by post and on paper, etc. Another significant topic is food waste, which generates more greenhouse gases and is crucial for global warming.
- Renewable energy and efficiency such as solar and wind power – due to the rising costs of traditional sources, more and more businesses are looking for options to increase their costs. One option is through the use of alternatives such as solar panels in southern countries and wind farms as alternative sources of energy in northern countries.
- Circular economy (circular business model) – processing clothes, shoes and other apparel; this model offers a variety of solutions for the problems with waste. Nowadays, it’s actually quite a trend where enterprises take the role of being responsible for environmental protection and then recycle the clothing or shoes of customers instead of throwing them directly into the rubbish bin.
Why do these trends work for franchises?
Nowadays, increasingly important factors for a company’s success in any cleaning franchise are the care of the environment, sustainability and the treatment of customers. This will increase the result of customer numbers, revenue, and reputation enhancement.
According to recent statistics, the count of UK shoppers who tend to buy brands of good sustainability is more than 50% nowadays, and this number has increased from 30 % in the year 2021 to 2023.
Lots of customers nowadays determine the brands to buy based on environmental activities which companies are taking presently. Through the use of sustainable measures, franchises have a chance of attracting eco-driven customers, which will only increase their brand reputation.
What does an environmentally friendly business model mean to your business? The most basic is that it will enable you to be competitive and differentiate yourself. In addition, if you implement energy efficiency and waste reduction measures, you will save yourself on your running costs.
Investors and potential franchisees are increasingly considering eco-friendly and social factors when they decide if it is possible to invest in one company. Eco-friendly franchises may attract more interest and support from individuals looking to align their investments with sustainable practices.
Why Eco-friendly is the top franchise right now?
Following the COVID-19 pandemic and events in Ukraine, the business environment across Europe has changed as energy supplies have been disrupted, and this has led to increased costs for companies and customers.
Inevitably, the response has been increased interest in renewable energy investment. The franchise industry, and especially the franchise for cleaning business, is an example of the growing interest in ecology, renewable energy, and emission reduction.
Climate change is another hot topic. Investments in it increased in recent years while the transition from a carbon-based to a circular economy is underway. In 2021, USD 366 billion has been invested in renewable energy globally.
Green ideas for an eco-friendly franchise
Franchises are a popular way to start and develop a successful company, even if the industry is highly competitive, due to using the know-how that is already established. Eco-friendly franchise models are one example.
To be environmentally friendly, your company must consider how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and eliminate or at least reduce plastic and food waste. That’s what running an eco-friendly franchise entails.
Here, you can find some ideas and tips about starting an eco-friendly franchise:
- Create a franchise that focuses on providing groceries with minimal or zero packaging. Encourage your customers to bring their reusable containers and bags. There are more and more examples of companies introducing the use of sustainable packaging, reducing the use of plastic, and introducing recycling standards in the production process.
- Open a franchise that sells reusable and sustainable products like water bottles, reusable bags or containers. You can promote a zero-waste lifestyle, as global giants like Alibaba and Coca-Cola have already done it. Alibaba encourages its customers to open their shipments on-site and drop off unwanted packaging at recycling stations. Coca-Cola collects and recycles one bottle or can for every one sold, and by 2030, it will use 50% recycled materials in its bottles and cans.
- А franchise in the green housekeeping and cleaning industry is also a great option to become eco-friendly. If you want to succeed in this industry, you should offer your customers cleaning services using non-toxic and biodegradable cleaning products.
You can offer green services to position yourself as the eco-friendly solution to their problems. Provide services like light dusting and heavy-duty chores like cleaning the kitchen and bathroom. You can also be cooperative-oriented, promoting office cleaning solutions.
Another opportunity to be eco-friendly is to start a franchise business in landscaping. Give some advice and professional assistance to homeowners to make their yards greener.
The best franchise areas to adapt to the green wave
Undoubtedly, the growing interest in ecology and environmental friendliness makes the choice of business development in this sector very attractive and provides opportunities for development. In the franchise sector, it is the same – the trend is also for business models focused on sustainability and environmental friendliness.
If you are considering to adapt the green wave for franchising, here are some particularly promising areas:
- Franchise businesses that focus on solar, wind or other renewable energy. Examples are the installation and use of solar panels or energy from wind power plants. There is also a business avenue of creating a franchise which will retail and sell green products such as sustainable clothes, reusable stuff, organic and natural goods and eco-friendly home goods.
- Additionally, Trendy is also a franchise that offers environmentally friendly cleaning service which uses only non-toxic and biodegradable cleaning products for residential and commercial customers. Adapting to the green wave, you can also provide unique waste management services, recycling options and waste reduction advisory for businesses and communities as well.
- You can also invest your money in franchises that provide or develop green technologies, including energy-efficient appliances, smart home solutions, sustainable technology products, and implementation of energy-efficient technologies for businesses and homeowners.
- Last but not least, enormous potential has franchises that promote sustainable farming practices and organic agriculture and support local farmers. These include farm-to-table restaurants, organic grocery stores, and agricultural consulting services.
Conclusion
Franchise business models focused on ecology are an excellent opportunity for anyone looking to invest in socially significant ventures.
They’re profitable and have big potential in the future due to the ever-increasing desire of customers themselves for companies they use to have a policy to tackle carbon emissions. Same as for waste treatment, recycling, cleaning with eco-friendly products and the use of renewable energy sources.
For more news click thebritaintimes.co.uk