How Ditching Disposables can have a big impact on reducing single-use waste

We asked hospitality businesses to take steps to slash single-use waste and our pilot scheme saw a huge decrease in the use of common disposable items.

What is Ditching Disposables?

The Ditching Disposables initiative launched in 2021 and we looked to reduce the use of disposables which was trialed across multiple businesses. We targeted our scheme at businesses based in Portobello and Joppa.

After 12 months, the pilot identified six steps businesses can take to slash single-use waste. These include switching sauce sachets for refillable bottles; charging for single-use cups and offering a reusable alternative; and making straws available on request only.

Other measures include putting napkins on tables rather than elsewhere; offering reusable takeaway containers for a deposit; and only making stirrers available on request.

Who took part in the trial?

Businesses that took part in the trial include Civerinos, The Cake and Candy Tearoom, Malvarosa, and ShrimpWreck. In 2021, multiple businesses cut sauce sachets by 99% and others reduced napkin use by 64%.

Read our Ditching Disposables press release to learn more about the trial. 

How can hospitality businesses reduce single-use waste?

Rethink your operations to remove the need for single-use items in the first place. Wherever possible, businesses should aim to move away from single-use items. Examples of how to do this include:

• Switch to reusable drinks cups, crockery and cutlery for consuming food on the premises 
• Use washable pots, jars or bottles that can be refilled for condiments instead of sachets;
• Introduce a leasing scheme so regular customers can borrow a reusable takeaway coffee cup for a deposit if they have forgotten their own (or to save them the washing up!);
• Provide a refill station where customers can refill their water bottles easily;
• Remove non-essential packaging, for example wrapping for multipacks, or unnecessary secondary packaging;
• Provide your products in a refillable format, so customers can return their original container to be reused.;

For more detailed information on how to reduce single-use waste in your business, read the case studies in the right-hand column of this page and visit this page.

More information

We've created a suite of PDF case studies with further information on Ditching Disposables to help encourage hospitality businesses to reduce waste. Download them in the right-hand column of this page and help us spread the word.