IBM has launched a suite of technologies and services aimed squarely at improving both the energy efficiency as well as operational efficiency of retail stores.

Called the Green Retail Store portfolio, the suite includes high performance point of sales systems, blades servers, and system management software that drive deployment of energy-efficient and environmentally friendly retail systems from the front of store to the back office.

IBM says retailers were always looking for ways to differentiate and build customer loyalty – and that consumers were showing a preference for environmentally responsible retailers.

The core of portfolio is a SurePOS 700, the number one selling point of sale system in the world, which offers a choice of three energy-efficient processors that help reduce power consumption by 36 per cent and more.

A large retailer considering replacement of 5,000 terminals with new units operating at 33 per cent more energy efficiency can reduce annual energy cost for POS terminals alone by US$131,000 (A, or nearly US$1 million over the average seven-year life of newly deployed IBM machines.