Hospitality businesses’ environmental initiatives are directly impacting consumer decisions

In the UK, BRITA Vivreau has revealed new research that identifies how hospitality businesses’ environmental initiatives, or lack thereof, are directly impacting consumer decisions.

82% said it was important to them that hospitality businesses reduce single use plastic, while 62% are more likely to choose a hospitality business that’s transparent about the measures they have taken to reduce single use plastic. Perhaps most tellingly, half are most frustrated by single use plastic cups in hospitality settings

From the government’s plastic ban to ever-rising costs, hospitality operators are under a great deal of pressure to reduce hidden plastic waste to meet these increasingly stringent customer expectations.

The BRITA Vivreau survey reveals that over half (53%) of consumers say reducing single use plastic is the most important sustainability initiative when choosing a hospitality business, far more than carbon neutrality (17%) or providing plant-based menus (14%), new research has revealed.

“Taking steps to choose sustainable equipment can help cut out single use plastic and reduce up to 86% of CO₂ each year compared to bottled water.”

Consumers have made positive environmental changes in their everyday lives to reduce single use plastic, including using reusable bottles (60%), using a reusable cup for takeaway hot drinks (41%) and making hot drinks at home to take out with them (38%). And they expect hospitality businesses to take similar measures to eliminate single use plastic bottled water and provide water refill stations.

Chris Dagenais, General Manager, BRITA Vivreau UK, says. “By demonstrating a move towards reducing waste, operators can show they are aligned with their customer’s values and forge stronger relationships with them. We want to support businesses in their efforts to reduce single use plastic and spearhead a move towards a ‘refill’ culture to meet consumer demands and help the planet.”

To help hospitality operators achieve these goals, BRITA Vivreau has launched a mini toolkit providing actionable insight for businesses to reduce their single use plastic. “Taking steps to choose sustainable equipment can help cut out single use plastic and reduce up to 86% of CO₂ each year compared to bottled water,”Chris said.