Disposable takeaway food containers and tableware are one of the major sources of waste in Hong Kong. The Government implemented new legislation on 22 April 2024 which bans eateries, in its first phase, from providing certain disposable plastic tableware, and in the second phase, the provision of disposable plastic cups and containers for takeaways. To promote a “disposable free” culture, in 2023 the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) launched the “Bring Your Own Containers (BYOC) Eateries Scheme”, and many consumers have started practising the good habit of BYOC for takeaways. In order to understand the acceptance of BYOC by eateries and whether the process is smooth and convenient for consumers, the Consumer Council had earlier sent staff to conduct 45 trial visits at 15 eateries, among which 31 visits were successful (69%). Consolidating the results of these visits and subsequent enquiries with eateries for supplementary information, 4 among the 15 surveyed eateries indicated that they did not accept BYOC due to food safety and hygiene concerns. Although the other 11 eateries accepted BYOC, not all requests could be entertained due to practical constraints, such as inability to accept BYOCs during peak hours; or if containers brought by consumers were too small or not thoroughly cleaned. The survey also found that none of the eateries offered discounts for BYOC, nor did they charge according to the number of disposable containers used on a “user pays” basis, and some still charged BYOC consumers for takeaway packaging. The Council opines that to expedite the “container free” practice city-wide, proactive and flexible co-operation by eateries is of crucial importance. Consumers need clear and easy-to-understand guidelines and promotion, complementing the operational procedures of eateries so that BYOC can become a natural behaviour. In addition, the Council hopes that the Government and the industry will work together to develop and promote reusable container lending services, so that the public can reduce the reliance on disposable containers and join hands to reduce plastic use at source.
Between August and September this year, Council staff, acting as consumers, brought reusable food containers to 15 eateries during peak lunch hours between Mondays to Fridays for takeaways, including 5 eateries participating in the EPD’s “BYOC Eateries Scheme” under the “Welcome BYOC” category, and 10 chain eateries with a relatively large number of outlets. The triallists paid a total of 45 visits to 3 outlets of each eatery. During visits to 3 eateries selling food with soup, triallists also brought along a soup container and requested “soup separation” packaging.
About 70% BYOC Attempts Successful with High Satisfaction
Even if consumers are willing to go the extra mile and bring their own containers for takeaways, co-operation of eateries is still essential. Out of the 45 trials, 31 attempts (69%) of takeaways with brought containers were successful. Among them, 15 attempts conducted at 5 eateries participating in the “BYOC Eateries Scheme” had a higher success rate of 87% (13 times), while 30 attempts conducted at the remaining 10 chain eateries had a lower success rate of 60% (18 times). Among the 31 successful attempts, there was a nearly 95% satisfaction rate with the food presentation, portion size, temperature, and tidiness of the food containers. Nearly 90% were satisfied with the customer service of the surveyed eateries, while nearly 70% thought that the eatery staff was able to provide information or assistance on BYOC, showing room for improvement.
4 Eateries Refused BYOC
Communication and Instructions Conflicting and Unclear
Of the 14 unsuccessful attempts, not only were the BYOC requests by consumers refused, only 30% of the triallists were satisfied with their experience. Staff at 1 eatery specified that they did not accept self-brought containers with a slightly impatient tone, and did not expound when triallists asked for the reason. Some eateries did not provide clear indication on the acceptance of BYOC, as 1 eatery, despite providing the option of “BYOC” on its official online ordering platform, had already packed the food in takeaway boxes when the triallist arrived and presented their own container at the pick-up counter, and the eatery’s staff explained afterwards that they in fact did not accept BYOC. In another attempt at the same eatery, although the cashier claimed that self-brought containers could be used, staff at the pick-up counter pointed out that the company did not accept external containers due to food safety considerations, giving contradictory messages. The eatery subsequently replied to the Council, confirming that at present they did not accept BYOC, and had taken out incorrect options on their ordering platform. On the other hand, at another eatery which also specified refusal of BYOC, the staff maintained good customer service and suggested the triallist to order as a dine-in meal, and took the initiative to state “separate dish from rice” on the order to facilitate the triallist to transfer the food into their own containers, a commendable practice which could be learned by other eateries.
Be Mindful of Details of BYOC Arrangement
Restrictions May Apply on Time of Patronage and Types of Food
Even if an eatery accepts BYOC or is even registered as a “BYOC Eatery”, there is still a chance that it may not be able to accommodate such requests due to practical reasons. For example, most eateries indicated that depending on the number of patrons or the busyness of their kitchens, they could not guarantee entertaining all BYOC requests during peak hours. In addition, at 2 Hong Kong-style fast food chains, cashiers were separated from the pick-up counters, and in 1 attempt although “BYOC” was specified on the receipt, the food was already packed in takeaway containers by staff 5 minutes later because the triallist did not hand in their container quickly enough, so consumers are advised to hand in containers to staff at pick-up counters as soon as possible after placing their orders. In addition, if the container provided by the consumer is smaller, it may not be able to hold larger food items such as pizzas and hamburgers, and in one incident the triallist’s soup container was too small and caused spillage. In another case, the diameter of the soup container was too small for kitchen staff to put in the entire soup dish, thus was unable to fulfil the “soup separation” request. Some eateries indicated that they would not give the remaining portion to consumers if the self-brought container was too small to hold the whole portion. In addition, some food items which were prepared directly in disposable containers, such as rice and spaghetti baked in tinfoil containers, were not suitable for BYOC orders. The Council recommends eateries to display their BYOC policies inside the restaurant, on their official website and social media, etc., in a concise and easy-to-understand format, with information including the process, restrictions, and requirements of acceptable containers, to allow consumers to better understand the requirements in advance and prepare accordingly.
Packaging Charged Even for BYOC Order
No Instant Discounts or Incentives to Encourage Practice
It is consumers’ basic understanding and expectation that charges for takeaway boxes or packaging would be waived if they choose to BYOC. However, the Council’s trial found that some eateries claimed that their transaction system automatically charged a fixed packaging fee for all takeaway orders, and the fee was refunded in cash only after the triallist checked the receipts. In addition, some eateries used “set menu” as a unit to calculate packaging charges. Consumers may still be charged for the whole sum if they bring an insufficient number of containers when more than 1 container is needed for the set meal purchased, including soup, beverage, appetisers, etc. Some eateries exercised discretion to not charge the fee during Council triallists’ visits and reminded them to bring cups and bags next time.
Motivation for consumers to BYOC can be compounded by sufficient tangible incentives. In this trial, none of the eateries offered discounts to consumers who brought their own containers. Out of the 5 eateries participating in the EPD’s “BYOC Eateries Scheme”, 3 were also in the “Plastic-Free Takeaway, Use Reusable Tableware” campaign whereby stamps for rewards were given in the “Plastic-Free Rewards” mobile application, and 1 of them had also launched an e-stamp scheme in its own mobile application whereby stamps for rewards are given to consumers who requested “no cutlery”, “no cups” or “no containers”.
It is indisputable that takeaways, while seemingly convenient, consume a lot of disposable food containers which pollute the environment and harm human health, and the world has been tackling the problem of waste by reduction at source. The Council recommends the following for eateries and consumers:
- Eateries should allow the use of BYOC and formulate relevant procedures and clear guidelines, factoring in food safety, crowd management, and operation procedures, as well as environmental protection, so as to accommodate BYOC consumers in a more flexible manner;
- Eateries should set out detailed policies, procedures, and restrictions in-store, on official websites and social media, etc, with tools such as infographics with illustrations to assist consumers’ full compliance with the eateries’ requirements;
- Eateries should reinforce staff training to ensure capability to work with BYOC consumers. Even if BYOC is not accepted presently, consumers can be offered alternatives where practical, such as ordering as dine-in and then allowing consumers to transfer the food into brought containers;
- Consumers are advised to study eateries’ BYOC implementation details, including restrictions on containers, and bring along containers of appropriate capacity and quantity according to the types of food ordered; and
- Consumers should ensure that their own containers are thoroughly cleaned and wiped dry, and handed over to the staff promptly after placing the order. They should also check the details on the receipt and inform the staff immediately for follow-up if they are charged for takeaway packaging.
Download the article (Chinese only): https://ccchoice.org/577-container
Consumer Council reserves all its right (including copyright) in respect of CHOICE magazine and Online CHOICE.