Circular&Co. and the rise of returnable packaging

The industry is waking up to the urgency of addressing environmental issues, and the catering industry is no exception; UKH has recently announced that some 5,000 hospitality venues across the UK have begun their net zero journey, thanks to the industry body’s partnership with Sky Zero and Zero Carbon Forum on a carbon calculator. With a growing emphasis on sustainability, caterers are reevaluating their practices, particularly in the realm of packaging. One innovative approach gaining traction is the use of returnable packaging – a concept that combines eco-friendliness, cost-efficiency, and customer satisfaction. To understand the value of returnable packaging, we can look to the story of Circular&Co., a company that has been at the forefront of sustainability in food packaging for over two decades. Their journey began “long before sustainability became a buzzword”, says its commercial lead Adam Trethewy, through designing and manufacturing sustainable products for the circular economy. “We found ourselves over the last six or seven years working with leading global brands like Burger King, Starbucks and Tim Hortons,” Trethewy explains. Much of the company’s learned experience in the reusable packaging space involved collaborating with these brands to identify waste streams within their businesses in order to effectively design reusable cups – at first, at least; the group now has scope to expand beyond reusable coffee cups. According to Trethewy, Circular&Co. has made addressing environmental concerns and meeting the needs of these global brands its “mission”. One of the distinctions Circular&Co. has made is defining the concept of ‘returnables’ – these are not just consumer retail cups but commercial assets, with companies investing in these cups and loaning them to consumers for reuse with the expectation of getting them back. In a world where single-use products have long dominated the market, Circular&Co.'s approach represents a shift toward sustainability and conscious consumption. When considering the environmental impact of its products, the company highlighted the significant reduction in carbon emissions. “One of our cups that can be used 1,000 times has 158 grams of CO2, so less than three uses, and you're already in positive payback,” Trethewy says, emphasising that adopting sustainable practices can lead to remarkable cost savings – even while transitioning from traditional single-use items to reusable alternatives. What’s more the company believes that the truly forward-thinking businesses are already embracing sustainability and “have been doing so for some time”. This has been gleaned from the positive feedback the group has received from customers, which also shows that consumers are receptive to sustainable efforts by restaurants. As a result of this growth in sustainability popularity, Circular&Co. is actively involving key customers and stakeholders – such as Barclays Bank and the National Trust – in pilot programmes and product design. Furthermore, a recent pan-European poll conducted by packaging sustainability consultancy Aura at the E-PACK Europe conference in Vienna shed light on the industry's outlook for sustainability targets. The poll surveyed a range of global e-commerce brands, and its findings emphasised the “urgency and significance” of adopting eco-friendly practices. While nearly half of industry leaders (46%) believe that greater sustainability leads to increased sales (which will boost their organisation's profitability), concerns were raised regarding the financial implications of legislation such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) – 15% of industry leaders are reportedly apprehensive that the increased fees and other regulatory measures might offset any profits they anticipate from sustainability efforts. In addition, The poll found that fewer than one in six (15%) e-commerce brands had all the data they would need to make informed changes on packaging, with 85% of packaging professionals believing their businesses are falling behind in achieving their sustainability targets. It's clear that the road to sustainability is proving longer and more challenging than expected. The sustainability journey is far from over, but Circular&Co., alongside industry leaders and organisations like UKH, are spearheading the transition to a more sustainable future. By leading the way in sustainable packaging and embracing eco-conscious practices, these pioneers are setting a positive precedent for the entire industry. As the world becomes increasingly attuned to environmental concerns, the catering and hospitality industry's commitment to sustainability is not just a choice but a necessity.

Circular&Co. and the rise of returnable packaging

Circular&Co. has worked with large global brands such as Starbucks and Burger King on returnable and reusable packaging to aid in sustainability targets. As some 5,000 hospitality venues begin their zero carbon journey, here is something to consider

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