Leeds By Example: Impact Report 2019

Executive summary

We consume more food and drink ‘on-the-go’ in the UK than ever before, getting through thirteen billion plastic bottles, nine billion cans and almost three billion coffee cups each year. Yet the much-needed recycling infrastructure for all this packaging used and disposed of on our streets has not kept up with demand.  

Only 2 out of every 5 local authorities offer recycling on-the-go (which is defined as recycling outside of the home). The material collected by those that do is often too poor quality to be recycled. Local authorities need support to create  behaviour change through infastructure and communications that encourage the public to use on-the-go recycling bins effectively. 

Hubbub and Ecosurety decided to test different approaches to recycling on-the-go and develop a high-profile, multi-stakeholder campaign that aimed to find scalable solutions to the problem. Hubbub secured funding, identified Leeds as a suitable city and undertook the development and project management of the campaign. Leeds By Example was launched in October 2018, and the first phase ran for six months.    

25 brands, manufacturers and retailers came on board as funding partners, and a range of local partners were agreed, including Leeds City Council. The aim was to introduce new recycling infrastructure across Leeds City Centre, backed up by a high-profile communications campaign and a strong, recognizable campaign brand. We worked collaboratively with 29 partners across the city, testing a range of solutions and interventions which were independently measured and evaluated.

The campaign ambitions were:

1. Make a connection – raise awareness of on-the-go packaging and inform the public and employees in Leeds City Centre of which items can be recycled on-the-go.  

2. Changing behavior - nudge people to recycle their on-the-go packaging in the correct recycling bins. 

3. Making a transformation – leave a lasting legacy of on-the-go recycling for Leeds City Centre whilst creating a collaboration of groups to tackle the issue, and to propose a new method for recycling on-the-go nationwide.