Öekobowl: a reusable food bowl from Germany

Öekobowl is another smashing brand from Berlin (the most vegan-friendly city on earth!) and used nationwide. Again sold alongside reusable cups, Ökobowl can be cleaned (in the dishwasher) around 1000 times, is easy to stack, and sold with or without a lid.

Sold in four sizes, again people pay around £1 for a bowl, then return it to receive a deposit back. You can then wash the bowl and off you go again!

Why choose reusable cups and bowls?

If you run a small sandwich bar or café, it’s not only good for the planet to switch to reusable containers for frequent customers. But it will also save money, for better profits. For passing customers, there are also better options than plastic food wrap and sandwich bags.

Typically these schemes work on a deposit basis. People pay a pound or more to rent the item, then return it either to the eaterie or ‘reverse vending machines’ (working a bit like deposit return schemes which England does not yet have,).

Research has shown that nearly 100% of customers like this idea, so you can also market that you’re offering this service, which attracts more custom.

Clingfilm is awful stuff, one of the few plastics that is mostly not recycled at supermarket bag bins (it’s the ‘film you can’t recycle’ on top of ready meals and ice-cream tubs). And since removing PVC, it doesn’t even stick properly. Manufacture causes ‘nurdles’ which look like fish food when it ends up in the sea.