Lendable x BFN x BID

Richard Marriott, Reuse Lead at Ecosurety, introduces Lendable: a simple, free, city-wide reusable packaging scheme that makes reuse effortless for everyone. Do you work for a local café or takeaway and would like to get on board? Get in touch!

Introducing Lendable: Free reusable packaging for all 

Reusable cups. Great in theory, but in practice? They can be a bit of a hassle. You know the drill: download an app, scan a QR code, pay a deposit, hunt down a return point… It can all be just a bit too much like hard work, especially for the un-caffeinated brain! What if there was an easier way? Well, we believe there is. Introducing Lendable! 

Imagine walking into your favourite café and ordering the usual. But instead of a single-use cup, you are served a reusable one. No app, no deposits, just a simple swap. And when you’re finished? Just pop your cup into a nearby street bin designated for returns. Easy, right? 

This is the kind of frictionless, effortless reuse that we believe can turn the tide on single use. Because here’s the deal: every year, over 6 billion takeaway cups and food containers are discarded on UK streets and less than 3% get recycled. That’s a staggering amount of waste.  

At Ecosurety, a Bristol-based packaging consultancy, we recognise this problem and are determined to solve it. Our mission? To challenge the single-use status quo and make reuse the new normal. 

“We handle large volumes of on-street waste and we know that a large proportion of that waste is on-the-go, single use packaging, so we see a huge opportunity to reduce that waste through this reusable packaging scheme.” Sarah Burns, Sustainability & Engagement Manager, Bristol Waste Company.

No Fees, No Fuss, No Waste. 

We’ve designed the scheme to make using reusable packaging effortless for the consumer. No app, no deposit fees, no detours to a specific collection point. 

Café’s will lease our reusable cups (or food boxes), serve their drinks as normal and  customers can simply pop them into dedicated Lendable bins on the street. 

That’s it! No extra steps. No fuss. It integrates seamlessly into daily routines, making reuse just as quick and convenient as single-use. 

Partnering with local collection and wash facilities  

We’re working closely with Bristol Waste Company, which already handles street waste collection, and Re-Uz, specialists who already wash and re-distribute millions of festival and stadium cups. By harnessing existing services, we keep things efficient and affordable — all while reducing the environmental impact. 

A recognisable brand 

By creating a unifying brand for the packaging and return points we create a real presence in the city and drive its adoption.  

We worked with Bristol communications agency Enviral to create an engaging and highly visible brand with a simple consumer hook: Purple cup, purple bin! Communicating a message that reuse is as easy as single use. 

We Need YOU! 

Bristol’s future as a reuse city is in our hands! But we can’t make it happen alone. We’re looking for local cafés and takeaways, alongside national chains, to get on board. 

We’re planning for the scheme to go live in 2026. Understanding the level of interest now gives us the confidence to progress, including further design work on the packaging types and bin locations. 

For more info, visit ecosurety.com/lendable or email rmarriott@ecosurety.com.  

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