Energy Management for Retail
No need to keep shopping around for the best energy deals
At amber not only can we help you to get a great price on commercial energy for your retail store but we can utilise our complete energy management solution to help reduce overheads and improve efficiencies.
We can help to give you a competitive advantage, working with you to keep your energy in check and plan your energy budget whether you have a single store or thousands.
We understand all aspects of Retail energy use
Working with some big names in the retail industry, we have a wealth of experience when it comes to energy procurement for retail and introducing efficiency measures across all types of stores and warehouses. There are huge opportunities to help reduce the energy cost in retail premises and we can help you to identify and implement these measures.
Our award-winning energy procurement team can help you to take advantage of the best retail business energy deals, adjusting our offering based on your consumption, number of sites and appetite for risk.
We don’t believe in a one-size fits all energy solution for retailers, which is why we carefully align our offering to perfectly match your needs. The services we offer are outlined below to give you an idea of the different ways we can help your business.
Our Solutions
Our complete energy management solutions can cover all your public sector energy requirements, offering single solutions or combining our offerings dependent on your requirements.
Procurement & Risk Management
Our award-winning Procurement & Risk Management team work with you to achieve the best unit rate on energy to perfectly suit your needs as a retailer.
Bureau
Our team will make sure that you only ever receive accurate energy bills and keep as close to their budget as possible, our bureau experts analyse and validate bills with utter scrutiny.
Energy Efficiency & Engineering
Experts in energy reduction and efficiency innovations, our team of engineers have a single goal – to achieve the lowest energy use in new and existing building groups.
Utility Connections
New utility connections, disconnections, feasibilities studies, the list goes on! Our team of experts covers all aspects of utility infrastructure with no project too big or small.
Water
Through our expertise across the water services and our thorough understanding of the four types of water, we strive for the lowest achievable water bill for our clients.
Projects
amber has a number of innovative projects, the one that is most of interest to retailers is our staff engagement project. Using behaviour changes to lower consumption.
Why use amber?
Knowing who you’re working with is important, as is understanding what you’re getting out of the deal.
At amber we operate with complete transparency, telling you exactly how much we’re charging you, what our services deliver and how they’re performing.
Our award-winning teams will be working across your account to deliver the very best results for your business.
We’re fiercely independent, meaning that we’ll look at everyone in the market in order to get you the very best energy supplier for your retail business.
How our retail energy management process works
We begin with a comprehensive review of your current energy setup across all retail locations. This includes an analysis of your existing contracts, consumption patterns, and operational hours. By understanding how and when your stores use energy, we can identify immediate opportunities for cost savings and efficiency improvements.
Following the initial review, we develop a tailored energy strategy that aligns with your business goals. Whether you operate a single boutique or a national chain, our approach scales to your needs. We then implement the strategy, handling everything from supplier negotiations to on-site efficiency projects, while providing ongoing monitoring and reporting to ensure you stay on track.
Throughout the engagement, you have a dedicated account manager who serves as your single point of contact. They coordinate our procurement, bureau, engineering, and other specialist teams to deliver a seamless service. This ensures that energy management becomes a background operation, allowing you to focus on serving your customers.
Key areas of energy consumption in retail
Retail environments have unique energy profiles. Lighting is often the largest single consumer, especially in stores with long operating hours and display lighting. Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems also account for a significant portion of energy use, as maintaining a comfortable shopping environment is crucial for customer experience and staff productivity.
Refrigeration is another major factor for grocery and convenience stores, where display cases and cold storage run continuously. Additionally, back-of-house operations such as stockrooms, staff areas, and IT systems contribute to overall consumption. Understanding these specific loads allows us to target the most impactful efficiency measures.
- Lighting: LED retrofits, occupancy sensors, and daylight harvesting can reduce lighting energy by up to 60%.
- HVAC: Smart controls, regular maintenance, and equipment upgrades improve efficiency and comfort.
- Refrigeration: Door heaters, night blinds, and optimized set points cut energy without compromising food safety.
- Plug loads: Managing point-of-sale systems, displays, and other electronics reduces unnecessary consumption.
Beyond procurement: ongoing energy optimisation
Securing a competitive energy rate is only the first step. True energy management involves continuous optimisation of how energy is used. Our engineering team conducts detailed audits to uncover inefficiencies, from air leaks in building envelopes to poorly calibrated control systems. We then prioritise recommendations based on cost, payback period, and operational impact.
We also help retailers engage their staff in energy-saving behaviours. Our staff engagement project, mentioned earlier, uses behavioural science to encourage employees to turn off lights, close refrigerator doors, and report issues. Small actions across many stores can lead to substantial savings, and we provide the tools and training to make it happen.
For retailers with multiple sites, we offer portfolio-level reporting that benchmarks energy performance across locations. This allows you to identify underperforming stores and replicate best practices from your most efficient sites. Our bureau service ensures that every bill is scrutinised, so you never pay for errors or overcharges.
Supporting your sustainability goals
Consumers are increasingly choosing brands that demonstrate environmental responsibility. Reducing energy consumption not only lowers costs but also reduces your carbon footprint. We help retailers quantify these reductions and communicate them effectively to stakeholders, from investors to customers.
Our team can guide you through the adoption of renewable energy sources, such as on-site solar panels or green energy contracts. We evaluate the feasibility and financial benefits, ensuring that any investment aligns with your long-term strategy. As regulations around energy efficiency and emissions tighten, we keep you ahead of compliance requirements.
By integrating energy management into your broader sustainability initiatives, you can enhance your brand reputation and build customer loyalty. We work alongside your marketing and operations teams to turn energy savings into a competitive differentiator.
Case study: a multi-site retail chain
Consider a national retailer with 200 stores. Before engaging amber, they were on a mix of contracts with varying end dates and rates, leading to administrative burden and missed savings. Our procurement team consolidated their supply, negotiating a portfolio deal that reduced unit costs by 12% while providing budget certainty.
Our engineers then implemented a lighting retrofit across all locations, replacing outdated fluorescent tubes with LEDs and installing occupancy sensors in stockrooms and restrooms. This measure alone cut lighting energy by 55%, with a payback period of just 18 months. Simultaneously, our bureau team took over bill validation, catching an average of £150 per store per month in billing errors.
Through our staff engagement project, we trained store managers and employees on energy-saving practices, resulting in a further 8% reduction in overall consumption. Within two years, the retailer saved over £1.2 million in energy costs and reduced carbon emissions by 1,500 tonnes annually. This is the power of a holistic energy management approach.
Getting started with amber
Transitioning to amber is straightforward. We begin with a no-obligation consultation to understand your current situation and goals. From there, we provide a clear proposal outlining our recommended services and expected outcomes. There are no hidden fees, and our pricing is transparent from day one.
Once you decide to proceed, we handle the entire onboarding process, from gathering utility data to communicating with existing suppliers. Our team works efficiently to minimise disruption to your operations. You will have access to our online portal, where you can view real-time energy data, track savings, and communicate with your account manager.
We are proud to serve retailers of all sizes, from independent shops to multinational chains. Our experience across the retail sector, combined with our award-winning teams, ensures that your energy management is in capable hands. Let us help you turn energy from a cost centre into a strategic advantage.