WHSmith has launched a buyback service to support a circular economy for books.
The retailer has partnered with Zeercle to offer customers gift cards when they trade in old books.
WHSmith group commercial development director Ian Sanders said the buyback scheme is a “compelling reason” for booklovers to “recycle their second-hand books.”
Sanders added that the Bookcycle scheme makes “great sense for our customers and our business to support a circular economy for books, as we aim to minimise our impact on the environment and support our local communities.”
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To participate in the scheme, customers need to register online and scan their books through the retailer’s website to determine trade-in value based on its condition, popularity of the book and market demand.
The books can then be dropped off in any participating branch in exchange for an eGift card to be used on WHSmith’s website or in one of its stores.
Net zero at WHSmith
The retailer aims to reach net zero by 2050 and has had its short-term targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) including reaching absolute scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 80% from a 2020 base year.
By 2027, the retailer aims to have 75% of suppliers by emissions covering purchased goods and Services and upstream transportation and distribution to have science-based targets also.
