Whiting says he is still seeing the widespread use of plastic water bottles at events , despite there being a requirement at many events that packaging and disposables are biodegradable .
“[ Fortunately ] there are good signs of new materials being developed to take over from plastic bottles in the near future ,” he says .
Event Wine Solutions ( EWS ) account manager John Myres says sustainability is at the forefront of most of its customers ’ minds when they buy a product , and that is why the company has worked hard to switch to 100 % recycled , carbon neutral , rPET bottles that are 100 % recyclable after use : “ We launched these in 2021 and the reception has been very enthusiastic . We did this in partnership with sustainability consultants and recycling experts – it ’ s been a long journey but we ’ re proud of where we are now .”
Following analysis by A Greener Festival , Hempenstall says Peppermint found that 70 % of its carbon footprint was from plastic cups , and as a result it has switched fully to paper use .
He says “ one size does not fit all ” when it comes to sustainable measures , and venders should have “ a lot of options in your arsenal ” to have the best ecofriendly solution .
Freemans Event Partners is a family-owned concessions and bars business based in Gloucester . Among the events and venues it works with are Twickenham Stadium , Silverstone , The Open and the Jockey Club .
Account manager Melissa Atherton says the company has hired a sustainability manager to meet its clients ’ needs . The role not only covers
Peppermint ’ s bars are continuing to see a demand for premium products
packaging but also putting in place bespoke plans for each venue , such as carbon labelling and finding local suppliers .
Losing cash Atherton says Freemans technology division has been working with clients to meet an increased demand for cashless solutions at events : “ We ’ ve fallen in line with some of the in-house work that Amadeus and the NEC are doing , who are card only , along with the likes of the Jockey Club .”
She says the recent British Grand Prix at Silverstone hosted more than 250 outlets with 90 types of cuisine on offer for its 360,000 spectators , including plant-based and allergy-friendly options . Freemans deployed 750 card and nearly 400 Electronic Point of Sale ( EPOS ) terminals , with card-only areas created to help reduce queue times .
Whiting says EWS worked with Black Deer Festival this year , which he says is the only festival he has seen in his 30-year career that features food concessions that exist in their form exclusively for that event : “ We successfully used radio frequency
Nick Crow
John Myres
identification ( RFID ) cashless tech at Black Deer this year . The technology is still improving , and people still like to use cards and mobile phone apps to pay , so there are options for festivals that want to go cashless , and arguments for and against the use of both RFID and EPOS systems . It remains a hotly debated subject for many people .”
Hempenstall says Peppermint is working on several new technologies alongside Levy UK + Ireland , including an innovative multi product dispenser unit . He says frictionless technology has evolved to the point where customers can now walk in and out of a bar and the drinks are automatically charged to a payment card .
“ Frictionless is no longer a thing for the future , it ’ s here ,” he
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