What do striking matches and retail strategy have in common? If you’re thinking “not much,” think again. Swan Vesta, one of the UK’s most recognisable match brands, had long produced its matchboxes with two striking strips, one on each side. It was standard practice, inherited from decades of “that’s just how it’s done.” Then, someone questioned the default and asked: Do we really need both?
The company quietly removed one strip. There was no strategic planning offsite or months of market research, no fanfare, no customer announcements and … nothing happened. Matches still worked, sales didn’t dip and no one complained. Behind the scenes however, that small act of subtraction saved the company a fortune – less material, faster assembly, lower production costs. This is the heart of what I call red brick thinking, a mindset that encourages individuals and organisations to strategically subtract instead of endlessly adding more complexity, systems, and obligations. For retailers this offers profit-saving potential.
Overcommitted and overengineered
Retail is not for the faint of heart. The sector is dynamic, fast-moving, and brutally competitive. In this climate, the instinct is often to respond to challenges by adding more: more SKUs, more platforms, more promotions, more tech and more value. But more doesn’t always equal better and in fact, more often equals expensive. Retailers, especially those operating in multi-channel environments, are experiencing death by a thousand cuts, unnecessary reports, bloated back-office systems, legacy processes and outdated assumptions all quietly eroding margin.
What is a Red Brick?
In my workshops, I use a wobbly LEGO bridge to explain. Most people try to fix the imbalance by adding more bricks. Very few consider the possibility that the solution is to remove the one red brick causing the problem in the first place. Red bricks can be:
- Structural: Outdated tech systems you’re too busy to fix
- Cultural: A legacy belief that “we’ve always done it this way”
- Emotional: Fear of disappointing a long-time supplier by switching to a more efficient option
- Operational: Unnecessary meetings, duplicated roles, overcomplicated procedures
Retailers are masters at adaptation, but we often focus on iteration when elimination would be far more effective and cost-saving.
Small tweaks, big wins
Take a moment to review your own business. Where are you carrying invisible weight? Where is money bleeding from processes that no longer serve your team or customers? Here’s how it can play out in a retail environment:
- Review your offerings: If a product, service or process isn’t adding value, it’s adding cost. Clear it out.
- Kill the “weekly status update” meeting: Replace it with a quick Slack check-in or dashboard update. You’ve just given your managers back hours per week.
- Challenge your reporting obsession: Are you producing reports that no one reads? Automate what you can and scrap the rest.
- Audit your customer journey: Are there steps that create friction rather than delight? Fewer clicks and clearer messaging often improve conversions.
The goal isn’t just operational efficiency it’s restoring capacity so your people can focus on what matters: customers, product, and experience. Every system, process or policy in your business should be put through what I call the Swan Vesta Test: “If we removed this, would anyone notice or care?” If the answer is no? It’s a red brick.
The revolution starts with one brick
You don’t need a six-month strategy session or a whiteboard brainstorming marathon to get started. You just need to notice what’s dragging you down, ask “Does this still serve us?”, remove one red brick, and then repeat. Small, deliberate changes create room for innovation, agility and focus … the exact attributes that define thriving retailers.
In an industry where “more” is often worn like a badge of honour, I’m challenging you to consider the alternative: less, but better. In retail, space isn’t just physical, it’s mental, emotional, and financial. Free it up, and you’ll be amazed what (and who) starts performing better.
Donna McGeorge is a productivity specialist and author of Red Brick Thinking. She equips leaders and teams with practical strategies to reclaim time, reduce friction, and amplify what matters. Learn more at www.donnamcgeorge.com.