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Reusable packaging in workplace restaurants: how we made it work

Reusable packaging in workplace restaurants is no longer a niche idea, it’s fast becoming a necessity for businesses that take sustainability seriously.

At one of our London workplace restaurants, we set out to do more than just trial a scheme. Over 200,000 disposable containers and cups were being thrown away each year. Stacked up, the cups alone would reach the height of The Shard, 77 times over! The containers? Lined up end to end, they’d stretch the length of Tower Bridge 62 times.

We needed a better way. Not just for a week. But for the long term.

Making reusable packaging in workplace restaurants actually work

In August 2024, we introduced a reuse-first packaging system in partnership with CauliBox. It’s the UK’s first tech-enabled, circular food and drink packaging model for workplace restaurants, where customers borrow, scan and return containers and cups, all without downloading an app or changing their routine.

Adoption was immediate, and more importantly, sustained:

- Over 18,000 containers and 13,500 cups borrowed
- 87% of takeaway meals now served in reusables
- More than 9,400 litres of waste prevented
- Reuse now exceeds 4,000 items a month and continues to grow
- Total estimated CO₂ saved: 5300kg (equivalent to removing a family sized cars from the road for a year or powering a home for nearly a year)

Getting everyone on board

Reusable systems often fall down at the point of use. If it’s confusing or inconvenient, it doesn’t last.

So we made it easy, no app, no sign-up. Customers simply scan their card and the container, then drop it back later. Kiosks track returns in real time, and our site team monitors everything through a live dashboard that feeds directly into ESG reporting.

But ease isn’t enough. That’s why we put just as much thought into our communication plan.

In the weeks leading up to launch, we used posters, point-of-sale signs and on-the-ground conversations to get customers ready. The messaging focused on simplicity, sustainability and the benefit of cutting down waste together.

When launch day came, our team wore CauliBox t-shirts, kept the energy high and explained the process literally hundreds of times, cheerfully and clearly. We made it feel like a positive step, not a forced switch.

We also used behavioural insights: charging 40p for single-use items, while rewarding CauliBox returns with a 40p discount. That framing encouraged uptake without needing to remove all other options.

A culture shift led by the team

This wasn’t a soft launch. Our on-site manager, Nerida led with authority and enthusiasm, she trained her BMfamily team not just on how Cauli worked, but how to talk about it with customers. The team became champions of the change, helping customers, solving teething issues, and keeping momentum going long after the launch buzz faded.

“We were throwing away over 200,000 disposable containers and cups a year. With BM’s support, we found a solution that was easy to implement and simple for customers to use. CauliBox has been a success from day one.”
Head of Front of House client , London Law Practice

Even now, the site sees over 4,000 reusable items used every month. That level of sustained behaviour change is rare, and that’s exactly what makes this implementation successful.

Why it matters

Too many reuse schemes peak and fade. This one hasn’t.

It’s reduced waste, carbon, and single-use dependency. It’s strengthened ESG reporting. It’s won external recognition with an award from Team London Bridge award for sustainability. And most importantly, it’s shown what’s possible when people, partners and purpose are aligned.

This is reusable packaging in workplace restaurants — done properly. And it’s proof that when change is well-designed and well-delivered, customers are excited to get on board.