How Your Business Can Plan For A Low Waste Christmas In 2021?

It might only be the beginning of September but now that the summer holidays are over and done with, many consumers minds are turning to Christmas. Since Christmas 2020 was spent with Covid restrictions for much of the UK, 2021 is set to be bigger and better than ever. Thousands of families will be planning big celebrations, companies are organising major parties and people will be going all out on the festivities this year.

Now is the time that your company should be preparing for the Christmas rush. Whether you are in retail, hospitality or food & beverage, December is certainly going to be a busy time for your business. The amount of waste produced over Christmas is around three times higher than the rest of the year, so your recycling machines are set for a busy few weeks. From buying presents and wrapping paper to turkeys and mince pies, people go all out for 25th December.

With Christmas being one of the most environmentally damaging and wasteful times of the year, we are sharing how your business can prepare for a low waste Christmas in 2021.

Hold Back On The Glitter

If your business is producing packaging for Christmas goods, manufacturing wrapping paper, or even purchasing gift bags for your clients, try to cut back on glitter and decorations. A lot of Christmas wrapping paper and packaging is not suitable for recycling equipment because of the metallic finishes and embellishments. Keep things simple this year and choose designs and packaging which is festive without being damaging to the planet. Opt for reusable gift bags as opposed to wrapping paper and Sellotape, and make sure you tell your customers what can be recycled and what can’t.

Choose Sustainable Decorations

Many companies will be decking out their premises for the festive season, with Christmas trees, sparkling lights and much more. Before you head out to buy your store or restaurants decorations, check to see what you can reuse from previous years. If you really do need to buy new items, see what you can find second hand or invest in decorations which will stand the test of time. Christmas lights are the most commonly replaced decoration, and also one of the easiest to fix. Dig out your Christmas decorations now and give your business plenty of time to get everything in order before December rolls around.

Order Food Stock Carefully

Food waste is massively increased over Christmas, and hospitality businesses are a huge contributor of this. If you run a business which will be serving up Christmas dinners or catering for parties this festive season, make sure you order your food stock carefully. Encourage customers to book in early so you know exactly how many covers you need to serve and consider asking them to place their orders in advance. This can reduce the amount of food waste going into recycling machinery and also save your business money.

At WRT we are experts in recycling equipment and waste management. For more information on having a low waste Christmas this year, speak with our team.