Ditching the Disgrace: Revitalizing Reusable Takeaway Containers
It's been an entire year since the obligation to offer reusable takeaway containers hit the hospitality scene, but it seems progress has been as slow as a snail's pace - almost. Environmental advocates, as well as consumers, are still grumbling about the lack of implementation and control. Leading the charge is Thomas Fischer, Head of Recycling Management at Deutsche Umwelthilfe (German Environmental Aid), who refers to the situation as a "tubular failure" and calls for improvements.
Fischer was less than impressed with the 2021 ball drop, commenting in press releases that what started as a dismal beginning has continued like an unfortunate cautionary tale right up until the year's end. During a series of test visits, catering establishments reported reusable rates in only the low single-digit percentages. Compared to earlier targets, these figures toe the line between discouraging and downright dismal.
The new regulations, which took effect at the beginning of the year, require restaurants, bistros, and cafes to deliver their edibles in reusable packaging – all aside from those precious disposable plastic containers – provided that they offer disposable plastic packaging at all. Beverages, in all their colorful glory, require reusable alternatives too. But there are exceptions to every rule, and smaller establishments – those not exceeding 80 square meters in size and sporting a team of five or fewer employees – get a free pass. However, they are obligated to permit customers to bring their own containers. Defy the rules, and fines as steep as 10,000 euros may be on the agenda.
Fischer blames the lack of controls and fines for violations as the main roadblock to change. "Pressure," he laments, "without coercion, nothing will prompt restaurateurs to respect the obligation to provide reusable food containers." Surveys suggest that consumers are generally unaware of the stipulations regarding reusable containers, and suppliers seem intent on keeping these eco-friendly alternatives as far from customers as possible by presenting the information in a dull, unremarkable fashion.
During almost 100 test visits, Fischer encountered not one incidence of active customer information provided by sales personnel, stating, "This active customer communication does not exist." He advocates for a more rigid definition of information obligations, conveying that more specific guidelines would allow inspections to be more focused and straightforward.
The myriad of quirky reusable containers is another hurdle to overcome. "Many retailers maintain their own systems," explains Fischer, "but this is not user-friendly. We need to move away from chaos and embrace a uniform industry solution with a national network of return options."
Financial incentives, as depicted by the city of Tübingen, appear to be a game-changer. The packaging tax on disposable containers, crockery, and cutlery they levy was deemed permissible by the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig last May. Doomsday predictions of McDonald's franchisees lodging constitutional complaints notwithstanding, the decision is still pending.
Meanwhile, the North Rhine-Westphalia consumer advice center echoes similar concerns about the law. In their investigations of nearly 400 establishments, cracks in the system were apparent. Half of the businesses surveyed met the reusable takeaway criteria, but only half of them had actually adhered to these guidelines. When confronted with this blatant defiance of regulations, the consumer advocates pressed for improvements.
The lack of monitoring, both due to understaffed regulatory bodies and complex legislation that calls for guidelines, is not the only snag in the implementation process. The association Dehoga ponders the provisions of the law as being unclear. It wasn't until May 2023 that an official guideline finally emerged – months after the regulations took hold. Suppose these guidelines haven't been able to answer all the questions that arose during implementation. In that case, the industry is left in a legal limbo.
For the hospitality sector, the law means additional effort and costs – just when they're grappling with additional challenges. Fischer suggests that improving the reusable rate and acceptance requires refining structures and processes, from straightforward reusable containers to streamlined take-back options. A system akin to that for deposit bottles would be ideal for tackling this conundrum.
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