PECT and RECOUP conduct behavioural change trials in bid to increase reuse

Local environment charity – Peterborough Environment City Trust (PECT) – will be researching the perceptions and barriers around reusable packaging, as well as running behaviour change trials within local communities and specific groups in Peterborough. In partnership with RECOUP,the project aims to increase reuse.

PECT is one of six projects to win the ‘Bring It Back’ Fund from Hubbub and Starbucks – an initiative to find new solutions and systems for sustainable packaging in the food and beverage industry.

Speaking to Resource about the funded project, PECT explained that its primary focus is the practical elements and behavioural change implications of reuse schemes and what incentives communities need to get involved at a local level.

Through its ‘behavioural-change trials’, PECT will work with five different communities around Greater Peterborough – taking demographic factors, geographic location, community capacity and how green-minded the community is into consideration. The charity told Resource that it aims to work closely with each community to create tailored pilots that work for them.

For example, PECT will work with communities to identify the most appropriate bring-it-back containers and approaches in a local context.

In order to choose target communities, ensuring that PECT is viable for a range of people, the charity informed Resource that it will be working with an external behavioural change specialist. Selected communities will be chosen based on extensive local knowledge and networks with businesses, schools and other community groups.

According to PECT, behaviour change is a ‘critical factor in all aspects of sustainability’. The charity’s experience in behaviour change campaigns – ranging from encouraging more sustainable transport, moving towards a circular economy, reducing energy usage, and changing our buying habits – has led to its confidence that similar impacts will be produced as part of the Bring it Back project.

Charity and plastics recycling experts RECOUP will lead the research element of the project, as well as the identification of bring-it-back containers and approaches.