A behind-the-scenes look at the life of a tote box… and why its return journey matters
At NVS, we’re always looking for smarter ways to deliver a greener pawprint for our business, our customers, and for the planet. We’ve recently introduced electric delivery vans to our fleet, and the fridge units on our temperature-controlled HGV trailers are now powered by an innovative battery system, removing the need for diesel.
Our main warehouse and distribution centre, Spitfire House, is designed with sustainability at its core. It boasts photovoltaic (solar) panels, high-grade enhanced cladding, rainwater harvesting, and internal and external high-efficiency dimmable LED lighting. We are very proud that these new facilities conform to a BREEAM rating of ‘excellent’ and achieve an energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of A.
However, one of the most effective (and often overlooked) tools in our sustainability toolkit is our reusable tote boxes.
Small box. Big impact
Our black tote boxes are made from 100% recycled plastic and are fully recyclable. Alongside our red, green, and blue totes, they help us cut down significantly on the amount of cardboard and single-use plastic needed to safely deliver your products.
You see them every day: sturdy, stackable, filled with essentials. But for this circular system to truly work, every NVS tote – regardless of its colour – must complete its journey from our warehouse to your practice… and back again.
A break in the chain
Each year, we’re having to replace around 4,000 tote boxes – an avoidable impact on both the environment and the efficiency of our service. In fact, over the past three years, we’ve had to spend over £100,000 on replacement totes, which is unsustainable.
That’s the equivalent of producing 12 tonnes of plastic. Even using recycled material, producing that much plastic still uses a huge amount of energy and resources:
That’s why we’re asking for your help.
But first, let’s follow the journey of a tote box—there and back again.
Step 1: Checking & cleaning
Each morning, the tote boxes returned from the previous day’s deliveries are carefully cleaned and checked for damage. Once inspected, they’re relabelled with your order and head back out onto our warehouse track ready to be filled with your products.
Step 2: Picking & checking your order
As your order is processed, the tote travels around our warehouse and is loaded with your chosen products. Every item is double-checked and weighed, making sure your order is picked accurately and securely.
Step 3: Distribution
Next, the totes are loaded for overnight distribution to the local depot nearest to your practice, where they’re sorted by delivery route and loaded onto our fleet of vans.
Step 4: Delivery
Your regular delivery driver arrives with your tote, containing the order you placed the previous day.
Step 5: Collection & recycling
Your driver will collect any empty tote boxes from your practice, ensuring they return to our warehouse so the process can begin again. They’ll also collect any recyclable cardboard and plastic packaging from previous deliveries for recycling.
How you can help
We’re proud of the steps we’re taking to cut carbon and reduce waste, but we can’t do it without you. Please return your empty NVS tote boxes – black, red, green, or blue – directly to your NVS delivery driver. This helps keep our circular system running smoothly and avoids mix-ups with totes from other wholesalers.
Find out more…
Our tote delivery system is just one of the ways we’re working to make veterinary supply more sustainable. Discover more about how we can work together to deliver a greener pawprint by browsing through our sustainability e-brochure.
