World Refill Day 2022
World Refill Day was on Thursday 16th June 2022. City to Sea revealed the results of a new survey on the cost of living and provided various ways to get involved:
Cost of living crisis changing the way we shop, with ethics being squeezed
Exclusive new polling for City to Sea released for World Refill Day shows that 95% of people surveyed said they were concerned about plastic pollution while 90% are taking steps to reduce their single-use plastic, with 41% saying they would like to do more.
Crucially 93% of people surveyed said they would like to see more refill and reuse options available. This way of shopping leaves a good taste in the mouth with 74% people indicating that refilling makes them feel more positive (33%) or like they’re making a difference (41%).
However, the same research also shows that sustainability has fallen down the priority list for consumers, with cost now coming out on top; 48% of Brits report changing where they shop or what they buy in the last six months, and 60% saying they now prioritise cost over any other criteria. But the amount of plastic consumers feel forced to buy as they feel the pinch is leaving them feeling frustrated (31%), powerless (21%), and sad (13%).
On World Refill Day, City to Sea, the charity behind the campaign says it is completely unfair that consumers are being forced to ditch their ethics in the face of the cost-of-living crisis.
5 ways to support the day:
Call out the worst plastic polluting companies:
Refill wrote an open letter to these toxic companies to do just that.
Local activities
There were over 400 local Refill schemes in the UK supporting the day in many ways. In Swindon:
- We relaunched the local campaign with a new organising team.
- We had a stall in the Swindon Hub where we provided information, talked with the public and Hub volunteers, and conducted radio interviews for Swindon 105.5 Community Radio.
- We contacted the many brilliant Swindon Refill stations to provide info and ask them to support the day by sharing information with their customers.
- Business West sent out information via various channels including their Chamber of Commerce newsletter, sent to 1000 businesses.
- We provided information for all parish councils, and asked them to support the day in various ways.
- We provided information for all schools, and asked them to support in various ways.
- Swindon New College put up World Refill Day posters and offered students a special promotion on coffee. People who brought in a reusable cup received a triple stamp on their card and a free coffee.
- We signed up new local Refill stations:
- Correspondence with both local MPs, including the obscene levels of economic inequality aka the "cost of living crisis".
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We shared information via our website, newsletter, social media, and local media..
- Coverage by The Birds and Bees Show on Swindon 105.5
- Swindon Link article.
- Swindon Advertiser article.
- Check out our raw unedited press release.
City to Sea's follow up on the day included our efforts in Swindon! Proper job!
