Photo: Taste Nature / Facebook
A Dunedin deli is leading the fight against single-use food packaging with a reusable takeaway container system.
Clinton Chambers hopes other local businesses will follow suit and ditch single-use and even recyclable containers.
His organic cafe/supermarket Taste Nature encourages people to bring their own containers but they often don't get around to it.
"With this system, if they forget to bring in a container you just check another one out, get it filled and bring back two the next day or the day after," he tells Lisa Owen.
Taste Nature is using containers purchased from the returnable packaging system Again Again, which is based in Wellington.
The process is similar to borrowing a book from a library, Clinton says, with customers "checking out" a container on an app, then either returning it or bringing it in to be refilled.
If the container isn't returned, they are charged for it - up to $35 for a large insulated container - and Again Again will send a replacement.
So far, Taste Nature customers are loving the option, he says.
"it just means you have to carry those containers round in your car and it's not always convenient to have them there."
The Taste Nature charitable trust is partnering with nonprofit organisation Business South on this venture. If you have a Dunedin café or restaurant that offers takeaways, email Brian McFarland to find out more: reuse@tastenature.co.nz
