Reducing energy consumption
Saving energy is more relevant than ever before. Together we can save more, which is why we help customers reduce their energy consumption. We provide advice, sell energy-saving products, supply green energy, and help customers generate their own energy
Coolblue Energy
In 2021, we started with Coolblue Energy for everyone who wants to save energy. This way, we offer sustainable energy and CO2-compensated gas throughout the Netherlands.
Coolblue Energy customers gain insight into their consumption and get a discount on all our energy-saving products. Additionally, we offer solar panels and charging stations that we install at the customer’s home ourselves. We are proud of our Coolbluers, who have already placed over 100,000 solar panels.
Advice about energy consumption
On our website and in our stores, we give customers advice about how they can reduce their energy consumption. For example, we explain how a smart plug works and how much they can save each year by choosing an energy-efficient washing machine.
Assortment
We want to offer the most customer-centric product journey and make it as easy as possible to make sustainable choices. We do so by continuing to include new green products in our assortment and explain to customers why these products are green choices.
Coolblue’s Green Choice
On our website, we use our Coolblue’s Green Choice label with the most energy-efficient products. These products have the best customer reviews and a low energy consumption, allowing customers to easily make a green choice. In our physical stores, we are also always ready to help customers with elaborate advice about how much, or how little, energy a product consumes and which products help to save energy.
Reducing our energy consumption
We not only want to help customers reduce their energy consumption, but also try to do things a little bit greener every day ourselves. Which is why we for example deliver packages in the most efficient and sustainable way.
Self-generated energy
On the roof of our huge warehouse in Tilburg lies a solar roof the size of 16 soccer fields. In 2022, we generated enough electricity to power our entire warehouse.
Decreasing CO2 emissions
We aim to reduce our CO2 emissions as best we can. For example by delivering more orders by bike and using as little energy or fuel as possible. And what we do need to use, we make as green as possible.
CoolblueDelivers
To reduce the emission of exhaust gasses, our delivery drivers drive their routes as efficiently as possible. To this end, we acquired the company Plotwise in 2022. This allows us to reduce our CO2 emission, deliver the package to the customer sooner, and reduce the amount of energy it costs from our delivery drivers.
CoolblueBikes
We deliver orders by bike in more than 22 of the largest cities in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. In these cities, we deliver up to 90% of all small packages by bike. We shipped 1.2 million packages via CoolblueBikes in 2022, saving up to 366,000 kilograms of CO2 exhaust.
Reducing waste
We aim to use as little materials as possible and reduce our consumption. For this reason, we implemented a new replenishment process, saving 122 kilometers of black seal per year. In our stores, we went live with our own queueing system, which allows us to save 131,000 paper tickets annually. Additionally, we want to produce as little waste as possible and recover as much value as possible from it. We do so by refurbishing, repairing, and recycling old products.
Packaging
We are constantly looking for new ways to make our packaging even greener. For example by using as little packaging material as possible and by using more sustainable materials. Every product is packed in its own way. Among other things, we keep in mind what size the package will be and in what region we will deliver it.
Boxes
We have 2 machines that tailor cardboard boxes to the size of the product. This not only decreases the amount of cardboard we use, but also leaves room for more products in our vans. In 2022, we saved 620,000 kilograms worth of cardboard and shipped 27% of our packages without additional packaging.
Paper shipping bags
Orders that we deliver via CoolblueBikes are packed in a paper shipping back. In 2022, we installed a machine that tailors each bag to the product. This way, we pack smaller products even more rapidly and deliver even more products in a single bike trip.
Refurbishing
When customers order white goods with us, we always take the old one with us as an extra service when we deliver their new appliance. This makes us the largest party to take in white goods in the Benelux. In 2022, we refurbished more than 15,700 washing machines.
To further optimize the value of the white goods we took in, our experienced technicians restore the appliances to good condition. They do so by checking, repairing, and cleaning them. We sell the restored appliances as budget options on our website. Additionally, we work with social institutions
so that households with a smaller budget can purchase refurbished white goods. In both cases, we deliver and install the appliances ourselves.
Smartphone trade-in service
In each of our stores, customers can trade in their old smartphones to get a discount on a new one. We give personal advice with the choosing of a new one, including accessories. We also transfer all data and make sure the customer leaves with a fully installed, functional smartphone. Part of the smartphones we take in this way, we give a second life by refurbishing them. The rest will be processed in an environmentally friendly manner.
Extending product life cycles
We actively help customers in prolonging their product’s life cycle by giving them advice and helping with maintenance and repairs.
Information and advice
To ensure that customers enjoy their products to the fullest, we create advice content about the installation, efficient use, and timely maintenance of products. They also include instructions for simple repairs, which customers can perform themselves. In addition, we have started to send push notifications with maintenance reminders, such as for descaling the coffee machine. This way, customers can enjoy their product for longer without damaging them.
Second Chance
We resell returned products. This prevents having to discard or destroy products. We offer these products at an attractive price and give them a second chance this way. With Second Chance products, customers make an environmentally conscious choice and benefit from an attractive discount. We divide the products into 3 categories: as new, with slight signs of usage, and visibly damaged. Whatever category they fall in, we always examine these products thoroughly. This way, we guarantee that Second Chance products work as they should.
Repairing
We help customers with finding a solution if a product breaks down. In each of our stores, we offer our repair service for phones and tablets. If the problem cannot be solved in the store, we have the product repaired elsewhere. We repair larger products, such white goods, at the customer’s home. In 2022, we repaired over 7,800 white goods products.
Recycling
If we really can't repair, reuse, or refurbish a product, we choose high-quality recycling as much as possible. About 90% of a white goods product consists of reusable materials. By recycling it, we prevent loads of unnecessary waste and shortage of materials. This way, white goods products still get a new life.
