HOTELS & HOSPITALITY FACILITIES LESS IS MORE
Paper napkins, plastic cutlery, kitchen wipers, hand towels, loo rolls – restaurants are huge consumers of disposable products. In today’s sustainable world, Jeremy Bennett from Tork manufacturer Essity, looks at ways of reducing the consumption of disposables in hospitality venues.
In 2024, Mexican food outlet Wahaca was named the UK’s most sustainable restaurant chain.
This accolade came from consumer group Which? in its first ever nationwide listing of 'green' restaurants. The group analysed data collected from 22 companies in the UK and Wahaca earned the top spot on based on its sourcing policies, transparency and customer choices.
Frankie & Benny’s was also awarded a Which? Eco Provider endorsement, gaining praise for using sustainable cleaning products and offering plenty of vegan and vegetarian dishes. Meanwhile, Nando’s scored top marks for its food waste and plastics policies while Pret a Manger, Wagamama and Young’s Pubs were also named as Eco Providers.
The fact that the Which? sustainability listing was introduced last year reflects the global appetite for more sustainable practices. Restaurants are at the forefront of this new green movement, according to research carried out by Datassential in 2022.
This study revealed that improving sustainability outcomes was considered to be a top priority for 70% of restaurant owners.
According to the survey, 57% of diners said they believed the food service industry could have a significant impact on the environment. The same percentage of respondents felt that a restaurant’s sustainability practices would ‘somewhat influence’ their choices when dining away from home. Whilst 21% of customers claim
to be willing go out of their way to eat at a restaurant with high sustainability credentials.
The research by Which? bear out these claims. The consumer group’s own study revealed that 44% of people want their restaurants to be proactive about sustainability while 27% would like them to provide sustainability information on their menus.
Food waste is a huge problem in the restaurant sector with an estimated one in six meals currently being wasted. A growing number of hospitality businesses are tackling this issue by offering diners boxes or cartons so that they can take home whatever they are unable to consume on the premises. Apps such as TooGoodToGo, Olio, Munch and Karma allow people to buy leftover ingredients from restaurants at a discount.
But it is not only food that is frequently wasted in restaurants. The use of disposable products is particularly high in hospitality environments where single-use cloths and wipers are often considered to be more hygienic than reusable alternatives.
Paper napkins are also often preferred on tables and counters – particularly in quick-service restaurants – since they are a convenient solution that helps to reduce laundry bills. And paper disposables are indispensable in the restaurant washroom in the form of toilet tissue and hand towels.
However, the use of paper products can be significantly reduced with the aid of smart dispensing systems.
60 | TOMORROW’S FM
twitter.com/TomorrowsFM
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70
