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Reusable packaging with perks

Scheme launched in Bradford, as Green Street leads the march to help consumers and businesses be more sustainable

Champions of sustainable retailing and hospitality, Green Street, have launched a new pilot scheme, Borrow with the help of local Bradford cafés and restaurants in a bid to make the city more sustainable.

Borrow, sees participating local businesses lend customers reusable takeaway food and beverage packaging for a returnable deposit of 0.50p – £1. Customers receive an immediate discount on the food and drink they buy through the Borrow scheme. On their return, the cups and boxes are commercially cleaned ready to be re-used and customers are rewarded with not only their deposit back but also with exclusive rewards and the satisfaction of knowing they are helping reduce the unsustainable need for single-use plastics.

In the UK alone, 58 million1 items of food and drink are sold in single-use plastic every week for reasons of convenience, but each has an average life usage of just 15 minutes before being thrown out. These items are often difficult to recycle and Green Street – one of 6 projects in the UK chosen to develop and trial a reusable scheme – have pledged to reduce this number in Bradford with the backing of the Hubbub and Starbucks’, ‘Bring It Back Fund.’

Bradford business leader and Retail Sector Council (RSC) member Victoria Robertshaw has been instrumental in launching Green Street’s new plan of action. She said: “I’m really excited to be launching Borrow; takeaway food and drink packaging is a real challenge – of the 7 million disposable cups used every day in the UK only 2% are in customers’ own reusable cups. Our goal is to find innovative ways to accelerate the adoption of reusable packaging in the food and beverage industry, so I’m pleased to see it taking shape in my hometown by making it very easy for businesses to be able to provide alternatives for their customers.

“Consumers want to make a positive difference. We need to make it easier for all of us to make greener choices and Borrow has been designed to be as simple as possible for the general public. We are aware of the financial challenges many people are facing at the moment too, and hope that by offering small incentives and discounts, people will try the greener options as it will also save them money as well as being better for the environment.”

She continued: “We hope these small steps of change can be adopted by more businesses across the country to inspire greater change and help the planet because that is ultimately the most important thing.”

The incentives Borrow customers can receive include:

  • Discounts on food straight away when they place their order
  • Discounts on their next order when they return the cups and takeaway packaging.
  • Customers with a smartphone can scan a QR code to enter monthly prize draws every time they borrow. The digital rewards scheme has been devised by Maybe*, an innovative technology company.
  • When customers return Borrow packaging, they can collect points which can be exchanged for free food and drink items.

Borrow was successfully trialled for the first time at an Open Iftar held at Bradford Cathedral in March. The event resulted in far less waste than previous events, proving that sustainable events are entirely possible. No single-use plastics were planned to be used at the event and unused food was encouraged to be taken home by guests or redistributed to local organisations supporting refugees.

Popular fusion food restaurant and events group, MyLahore prepared the main courses for the Open Iftar and were one of the first businesses to get involved with the scheme. Director, Ishfaq Farooq, said “We’re proud to be the first restaurant business to take part in the Borrow scheme and are keen to trial reusable takeaway packaging at our Bradford delivery store. We’re thrilled to be able to work with the Green Street team to offer our customers greener choices that are kinder to the planet as well as the wallet. We hope to show the hospitality industry that with just a few minor adjustments, we can operate much more sustainably. It’s a journey we all need to be on, and there’s no better place for us to start than our doorstep in Bradford.”

Along with MyLahore, local cafés and restaurants that are participating in the pilot scheme include:

  • JavaJoe
  • The Canteen
  • City Hub Community Café
  • Café Liza
  • Smorgasbord
  • Café Sunflower

Director of JavaJoe, Ryan Gallagher said “We want to do what we can to try and make a positive impact on the city that we serve and love. Green Street are bringing a positive change to our city and it was an easy choice for us to be involved.”

Green Street are keen to know if there is demand outside of the city centre and are encouraging more businesses to get involved. District wide Bradford-based businesses interested in joining the scheme should email hello@greenstreet.org.uk for more details.

https://www.bringitbackfund.co.uk/

Source:

https://spnews.com/reusable-packaging-with-perks/