Empowering people to bring their own packaging when out and about in Sheffield

Whether you’re out shopping or grabbing a takeaway, there are BYO opportunities everywhere!

Businesses all over Sheffield are making changes to incorporate sustainable practices into the way they work, and BYO is a simple action that all businesses can take to turn the tide on single use packaging.

Calling all Sheffield businesses!
Can you offer your customers a reuse option?

We will deliver posters and window stickers to you, so you can tell your customers all about it. PLUS we will promote you on this web page as well as our social media.

Be Your Own HERO!

Tag us in your photos and videos whenever you use your own packaging!

Making BYO more effective

Do you currently offer a discount on customers who bring their own cup? That’s fantastic! But we’ve got some important news for you…

Studies have shown that a levy is much more effective in behaviour change than a discount and it is down to two major behaviour theories, anchoring and loss aversion.

Anchoring is the behaviour we exhibit where decision making is heavily reliant on the first piece of information we are given. When out shopping we are “anchored” to the normal price that something costs, when something is discounted you feel like you’re getting a good deal, whereas when a price is increased you feel like you’re being ripped off. And this is where loss aversion comes into play.

Loss aversion describes the idea that an individual perceives a real or potential loss more severely than an equivalent gain. So, a price increase on a product is going to create a larger emotional and psychological affect on a person than the equivalent discount on a product. It is these feelings and emotions that will lead to behaviour change.

The best example of this is the 5p charge on plastic bags that was introduced in 2015. Within one year plastic bag usage dropped by more than 80%.

Now you don’t need to change your prices at all! Simply quote the standard price of your coffee as the price that you would offer when someone brings their own reusable cup, then add the levy to anyone who requires a cup.

Reducing single use doesn’t stop at BYO, here are some other tips you can use to make your business more sustainable

1. Go Digital! Have lots of information and handouts for customers? Pack all the information into a document or webpage and create a QR code so your customers have all the information they need straight onto their device. Useful for estate agents, law firms, accountants.
2. Encourage staff to BYO water bottles and coffee cups. If you have an office with drinking water provide a kettle so that employees can make their own coffee instead of getting coffee in a disposable cup.
3. Implement a borrow scheme. This can range from providing a take-away meal on a plate, floral arrangements in a vase, or a refillable cup for an event or festival. We have reusable cups you can hire for any event, just get in touch!
4. Alternative refill options. Spas, hairdressers, and salons, can you offer alternative refill options? Hair products, perfume, lotions.
5. Let’s give Sheffield’s businesses a BYO identity. Holiday accommodations can let people know at point of booking when they are visiting Sheffield, they should be bringing their own cups and containers, if this isn’t possible offer a BYO hire kit for them to use during their stay. You can include cups, bottles, containers, bags.