KFC, McDonald's, Nestlé back Keep Britain Tidy packaging waste reduction pilot
Key takeaways
- Keep Britain Tidy’s 12-month “Love Where You Live Heckmondwike” pilot reduced F&B litter by 16% through brand-led behavior change and disposal infrastructure.
- According to the charity, littering around “Bin it for Good” installations fell by 52%, while resident satisfaction with local cleanliness rose from 14% to 36%.
- The charity has launched a report and toolkit to help local authorities replicate the results without extra waste bins, increased enforcement, or additional cleansing.
Independent environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy has conducted a 12-month pilot, demonstrating the role that disposal infrastructure, including for packaging waste, and brand-led behavior change can play in reducing litter.
The “Love Where You Live Heckmondwike” campaign is backed by Kirklees Council, local Member of Parliament Kim Leadbeater, and brands including KFC, Mars Wrigley, McDonald’s, and Nestlé. According to Keep Britain Tidy, the program has achieved reductions in litter and a measurable uplift in how residents feel about their area.
The program is said to show how sustained behavior change activity can improve the physical environment and people’s perceptions of their local area.
Littering around “Bin it for Good” installations, where bins are converted into charity collection points, fell by 52%, while public satisfaction with local cleanliness rose from 14% to 36%. Perceptions of local businesses’ contribution to keeping the area clean also improved, increasing from 21% to 34%.
The charity notes that the outcomes were delivered without additional cleansing, extra bins, or increased enforcement.
Kim Leadbeater, chair of the Tidy Britain All Party Parliamentary Group, says: “Being part of a project that saw a reduction of 16% in litter on the ground, and improved the sense of community, makes me so proud.”
Boosting local economies
Building on the pilot, Keep Britain Tidy has published a full report and place-based litter toolkit.
Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, chief executive at Keep Britain Tidy, says: “Today, we launch a practical guide for local authorities under real financial pressure, showing how to cut litter, boost resident satisfaction, and build pride in place without increasing costs.”
Naomi Jones, corporate affairs director at Mars Wrigley UKI, adds: “Mars Wrigley has been a proud long-term supporter of Keep Britain Tidy. We hope the free toolkit being launched can support communities to replicate these results right around the country.”
The pilot finds that in the area, 16% of businesses shared that customers would spend more in cleaner places, while 30% said improved cleanliness would help attract new businesses.
Monica Silic, chief marketing officer at KFC UK&I, comments: “These results show that when businesses, local partners, and communities work together, it’s possible to reduce litter, strengthen community pride, and create cleaner, more welcoming places for everyone.”
