How effective is the plastic reduction effect of new tea and beverage companies?

"New tea drinks (the new tea drinks referred to in the article are equivalent to freshly made tea drinks), as an emerging catering segment in China, have developed rapidly in recent years and are deeply loved by young people. While expanding their business to achieve growth, New tea drinks brand companies should also pay attention to the environmental impact in a timely manner, adopt proactive strategies to fulfill their corporate social responsibilities, and transform to a circular economy..."

Recently, a seminar on "Promoting a Sustainable Future: New Tea Beverage Plastic Reduction Action and Release of New Tea Beverage Enterprises 'Plastic Reduction Ranking" co-organized by Hefei City Shanshui Environmental Protection and Development Center and Hefei University of Technology was held in Beijing. Industry experts, university teachers, environmental protection organizations and other representatives gathered together to provide suggestions and suggestions on how to further promote the new tea and beverage industry to make greater progress in reducing the use of single-use plastics.

The new tea and beverage industry has become one of the key areas for plastic pollution control

According to a research report by the China Chain Store & Franchise Association and Meituan, the size of the new tea beverage market is expected to reach 149.8 billion yuan in 2023 and is expected to grow to 201.5 billion yuan by 2025. As an important area of daily consumption, the new tea and beverage industry is particularly important in its plastic reduction measures.

At the seminar, Chen Juanjuan, executive deputy director of Hefei City Shanshui Environmental Protection and Development Center, released the "Evaluation Report on Packaging Plastic Reduction of New Tea Brand Enterprises"(hereinafter referred to as the "Report").

The "Report" pointed out that in 2023, the plastic reduction actions of the 10 leading brand companies in new tea drinks will generally lag behind. Among them, 10 new tea brands scored low in the dimensions of "plastic reduction strategy"(12 points),"public communication and communication"(16 points), and "innovation and development"(12 points), and scored slightly higher in the dimensions of "information transparency"(17 points) and "plastic reduction action"(43 points).

In order to relatively objectively evaluate the plastic-reduction strategies and actions of the new tea brand, in 2023, Hefei City Shanshui Environmental Protection and Development Center teamed up with Hefei University of Technology to track domestic and foreign plastic-reduction actions based on the principles of guidance and operability. Policies and development trends, as well as successful experiences in similar evaluations, jointly developed a plastic-reduction indicator system framework for cash-making beverage companies. and through onlineopen letterWe will select the top ten new tea brands in terms of sales on take-out platforms from January to October as evaluation objects.

"The plastic reduction indicator system framework includes five first-level indicators, namely plastic reduction strategy, information transparency, plastic reduction action, public communication and communication, and innovation and development. Each first-level indicator is subdivided into a number of secondary indicators, covering enterprises. Strategic goal design, internal and external policy response and implementation, full chain governance of plastic reduction, advocating plastic reduction awareness and cultivating public awareness of green consumption." Chen Juanjuan further explained.

Companies are recommended to establish disposable plastic packaging reduction targets and action plans and strengthen information disclosure

"As each cup of tea is sold, it brings the use and disposal of a large number of disposable plastic products, including beverage cups and cup lids, which not only causes waste of resources and carbon emissions in raw materials, production and other aspects, but also increases the burden and cost of urban domestic waste disposal." In Chen Juanjuan's view, the social responsibility of new tea and beverage companies includes many aspects, among which the environmental impact of disposable plastic packaging is particularly worthy of attention.

Based on the evaluation results of plastic reduction of new tea beverage brand enterprises, combined with the progress of relevant plastic reduction policies and market development trends in the domestic and foreign existing beverage industry, the "Report" puts forward three suggestions for reducing disposable plastic reduction of China's new tea beverage brands:

The first is to establish corporate disposable plastic packaging reduction goals, strategies and action plans. Enterprises conduct an inventory of their own packaging materials and quantities, formulate reduction targets and corresponding action plans based on baseline data, incorporate the reduction targets and actions for disposable plastic packaging into the company's sustainable development strategy, and establish an overall planning and coordination department including the company's management., responsible for the implementation and performance of the reduction target for disposable plastic packaging.

The second is to formulate a multi-level disposable plastic packaging reduction action plan based on the priorities of waste management, namely the "3R principles" of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Strictly implement the national and local regulations on the prohibition and restriction of the use of disposable plastics, actively cooperate with government departments, take-out platforms, public welfare organizations, etc. from three aspects: source reduction, reuse, and recycling, and pilot and gradually expand the recycling of disposable plastic packaging.

The third is to strengthen information disclosure and regularly communicate with stakeholders such as the public and delivery platforms on corporate plastic reduction strategies and progress. In accordance with the "Management Measures for the Use and Reporting of Single-Use Plastic Products by Business Operators", we will conduct an inventory and announce the use of single-use plastics and the effectiveness of plastic reduction by enterprises, and incorporate the information on single-use plastics reduction actions and effectiveness into corporate social responsibility or ESG reports. Disclosure.

"I hope that companies will use their own communication and marketing advantages to better convey to consumers the strategy and actions of reducing disposable plastics, and further promote the green development of existing beverage companies and even industries." Chen Juanjuan said.