Ben Olk III, President of NCCO Foodservice Solutions and active member of the Paper Receipts Converting Association, recognizes the invaluable benefits of paper receipts. With NCCO’s 117-year history in providing niche food service products, Ben has seen firsthand how paper receipts are an effective, sustainable, and integral part of a successful business in the digital age.

We sat down with Ben to learn about sustainable practices, digital and physical security, and how PRCA plays a pivotal role in promoting the sustainability story of paper receipts.

Paper Receipts: Sustainability in Practice

Paper receipt manufacturers have a role to play in their communities, educating people and empowering positive environmental policies. In fact, Ben and NCCO have helped their home state of Minnesota stay greener with paper.

State government pushed to ban physical receipts entirely due to an erroneous belief that they’re manufactured using bisphenol A (BPA). BPA is a known carcinogenic, but NCCO had switched to BPA alternatives several years before the proposed ban.

Ben’s organization and others sat down with the officials and informed them about the creation, use, and recyclability of receipts, assuaging their fears about BPA, while showcasing the many benefits of paper receipts. Officials from the state agency in Minnesota were willing to listen to the NCCO team. Recognizing the more complicated nature of their proposal, they shifted their focus to other more hazardous concerns.

Security in an Increasingly Digital World

Businesses are shifting to implement digital receipts — admittedly, we can understand why. It’s convenient for tech-savvy shoppers who prefer to keep and receive records electronically, and an invaluable tool for marketers to capture consumers’ email addresses.

However, Ben believes there’s room enough for customers to choose. After all, paper is recyclable, and physical receipts offer greater accountability than their electronic counterparts. Companies that forego physical receipts see an increase in shrinkage as they lack an extra layer of security. Paper receipts make it more difficult for employees to pocket differences or for customers to get something that wasn’t provided.

To meet the changing technological demands, cater to consumers’ preferences, and provide security, the best route is to offer both paper and digital receipts as resources.

PRCA: The Value of Community

Ben gave us one main takeaway: the community must band together to support the industry and combat general misinformation. As myths have become commonplace, it’s critical for receipt manufacturers to raise awareness about this resource to the public.

PRCA unites suppliers who are concerned about the environmental impact of paper, who want businesses and customers to benefit from their services, and who have a strong desire to make a positive impact on our planet.

Want to be part of the PRCA mission? Learn more and join today!