World Refill Day: The Data Behind The Reuse Revolution
World Refill Day🌍💧
Every minute, over one million plastic bottles are purchased around the world. Most are used just once. Fewer than 10% are effectively recycled. The rest are burned, buried, or left to pollute our streets, rivers and oceans. World Refill Day gives us an opportunity to rethink the way we consume water. What if choosing a reusable bottle was the norm rather than the exception? At BRITA, we believe the path to reducing reliance on single-use plastic starts with a refill mindset, and we have the data to back it up.
The Plastic Problem In Numbers📈
According to the United Nations, global plastic production has reached 400 million tonnes a year, with drinks bottles among the biggest contributors. Producing just one 500 millilitre plastic bottle can generate up to 82.8g of carbon dioxide emissions, that’s enough to fill 9 balloons full of CO2. Those emissions aren’t even including transport or disposal.
It’s not only the carbon emissions that pose an environmental problem. It takes up to three litres of water to produce a single litre of bottled water when manufacturing and supply chains are considered.
What If Refilling Was Easier⛲
The good news is that people already want to refill. Our polling shows that 70% of UK adults would prefer to refill a reusable bottle if clean drinking water was more readily available.
Some UK cities are already demonstrating what is possible when infrastructure supports behaviour change. In 2018, the Mayor of London announced a £5 million partnership to place water fountains all over the capital, with 110 having been installed so far. Smart meters show that these fountains have dispensed 2.8 million litres of water, replacing an estimated 5.6 million single-use plastic bottles. It's a clear sign that when refilling is easy, people respond.
The Role Of Filtered Water🫗
We understand that taste and trust are key to changing habits. That is why filtered water plays an important role.
A BRITA filter can remove impurities such as chlorine, limescale, and metals that affect both taste and quality. This makes refilling not just the environmentally friendly choice, but also the more enjoyable one. Just two BRITA Elite filter cartridges can replace up to 1,800 single-use bottles a year. That’s a simple switch with powerful sustainability benefits.
Encouraging Refill At Big Events🎾
Large public events are often huge contributors to plastic waste. The Environment Agency estimates that major sporting events can generate up to 750,000 single-use plastic bottles every time. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Big events also offer a unique opportunity to take real action.
BRITA’s long-standing partnership with the LTA is a great example of what’s possible. By installing hydration stations and encouraging both players and fans to bring reusable bottles, we have prevented the use of over 220,000 single-use plastic bottles. That’s a huge reduction in plastic waste without sacrificing convenience.
This approach can be scaled up. With the right infrastructure and support from event organisers, reusable culture can become the norm, not the exception.
BRITA x Katie Boulter💙
BRITA has also partnered with Britain’s No.1 women’s tennis player, Katie Boulter, to champion making mindful choices when it comes to our bodies, minds, and the planet. As part of the ‘Alive As Never Before’ campaign, Katie will celebrate what makes her feel alive through exclusive initiatives and content shared throughout this tennis season.
Britain’s No. 1 women’s tennis player:
“It’s so exciting for me to be working with BRITA, a brand doing so much good, as they continue to drive sustainable change in British Tennis alongside the LTA”. If you’re coming to watch me play this summer, make sure you bring your reusable bottle!”
What You Can Do On World Refill Day🤝
If we want to cut plastic waste and build a more sustainable future, we need to make refilling the easy and obvious choice. The UK uses around 14 billion plastic drinks bottles each year, and reducing this will take investment, innovation, and collaboration across sectors.
This World Refill Day, let’s turn every refill into a small act of progress and a meaningful step away from single-use plastic.
