How to Influence Consumer Behaviour

In its latest eco-friendly mission, A&W Canada took a swing at single-use cups

- Emily Latimer

Fast-food restaurants have a single-use waste problem. Three million tonnes of plastic end up in Canada’s landfills each year, and half of that is packaging, according to Statistics Canada. In fact, Canadians use 1.5 billion disposable cups alone each year. A&W Canada thinks that’s far too many.

Over the past few years, many fast-food companies have tried to crack the cup problem. In 2021, some Toronto-area Burger King and Tim Hortons restaurants tested out reusable cups through TerraCycle’s Loop pilot program, which collects, cleans and redistributes reusable packaging. But systems like these require customers to put in effort: pay a deposit, Scan a QR code, download an app and return items to a specific collection spot. Sustainability advisers say any friction may deter customers from committing.