The circular economy – ESG Feature


Reducing the waste companies produce is a more complex problem to solve than simply filling a recycling bin. Unless answers are found, net-zero targets will be tougher to achieve. Mark Dunne reports.


There is a famous joke about a guy ordering a pint of beer while traveling on Ryanair, an airline that specialises in cheap flights, if you don’t want any extras. It goes something like this: “How much is a pint of beer, please,” the passenger asks. “£1,” replies the stewardess. “A quid for a pint of beer, that’s great. I’ll have one,” he says, smiling.


The stewardess hands him a glass of ice-cold beer and says: “That will be £6, please.” The passenger, feeling a little puzzled by what he has heard, replies: “But you said it was £1?” “It is,” she says, “however, the glass will cost you £5.” That joke has become reality. In April, Burger King announced it would charge customers £1 for the packaging their meals come in. But rather than being a sneaky way to boost revenue, the fast- food giant is hoping the scheme will reduce its waste. The idea is that once the re-usable cups and containers are returned, the £1 will be refunded. If successful, the five-branch trial will be expanded nationally. Through this innovation, Burger King is tackling a problem that goes beyond overflowing bins on the high street. The “take, make, dispose” economic model is a major cause of pol- lution and is a threat to the natural world. Indeed, the World Bank expects 3.4 billion tonnes of house-


Issue 113 | May 2022 | portfolio institutional | 25


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