Sign up to FREE email alerts from BusinessLive - South West Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

An app to help people cut down on single-use plastic by finding shops and cafés that allow consumers to bring their own containers is being trialled in Bristol.

Plastic pollution campaigning organisation City to Sea has teamed up with tens of businesses, retailers, independents and high-street chains in the city in a bid to cut pollution caused by single-use packaging.

Businesses taking part in Bristol include high-street chains Neal’s Yard, Costa, ASDA and Morrisons, and more than 30 independent companies such as River Cottage Canteen, Better Food Co, Bristol Museum, Hobbs House Bakery, Hubb Box and zero-waste shop Zero Green.

The three-month pilot, which is the first of its kind and is also being trailled in Oxford, follows City to Sea’s Refill campaign which aimed to connect people to water filling stations.

Now the organisation is hoping to link conscious consumers with all the locations offering refillable options for food and drink in Bristol.

(Image: Bristol Post)

City to Sea is also working with large employers in a bid to encourage more companies to offer staff access to reusable coffee cups and lunch boxes.

Bristol-based ethical bank Triodos, The Soil Association and The Environment Agency have already signed up to the scheme.

Rebecca Burgess, chief executive of City to Sea said: “We’re thrilled to have so many businesses signed up in Bristol, our home city and where the Refill campaign started life.

“Its brilliant that Bristol is a leading light in this pilot and I know the community will come together to show the rest of the UK what’s possible.”

The app will also show the businesses that are offering discounts and rewards when shopping with refillable containers.

Sally Marshall of Wild Oats, which is taking part in the pilot, said: “We’re especially proud of our bulk and plastic-free products, which have been an important part of what we do since Wild Oats was born back in the 80s.”

(Image: Bristol Post)

Wild Oats has more than 80 different self-serve products and refill options including laundry liquid, washing up liquid and shampoo, and gives customers a discount on dry goods when using their own packaging.

Dom Winter, sustainability manager at Neal’s Yard Remedies, added: “Encouraging our customers to refill will help us work towards a more sustainable future – a goal that we’re extremely passionate about.”

City to Sea is now looking for other businesses in the food-to-go or retail sector to participate in the pilot.

Businesses already allowing customers to bring their own containers and those wanting to trial a refill service for the first time are also being invited to sign up. For more information, visit www.citytosea.org.uk.

Bristol independent businesses taking part in the scheme

Department of coffee and social affairs

Better foods

Chilli Daddy

The old fish market

Five Grains

Bird & Blend Park St

Cafe Kino

Cosy Club

Hubbox

The Cowshed

Mary Janes

Bristol Museum

CafeDuJour

River Cottage Canteen

Wild oats

Lashings

Zero green

Health Unlimited

La Mediterranean

Hobbs house bakery

Tin can coffee co

Ivory flowers

Zara’s chocolates

The Canteen

Grupo Lounge

Good & Proper Bristol

THE SWAN

The Blitz Tearoom

Hart's Bakery

The Greenbank Pub

Mr Lahey's

High street chains

Neal’s Yard Remedies

Pret

Morrisons

ASDA

Employers

Icon Films

Jelf

Triodos Bank

The Environment Agency

Soil Association