Reusable containers in Berlin

Since January 2023, a general reusable offer obligation for Berlin catering establishments applies. You can use containers that you bring into restaurants and cafés when ordering takeaway food and drinks. Alternatively, you can ask for reusable containers, which will be made available to you for a deposit.

From cups to mandatory reusability

According to current estimates, 20,000 disposable cups still end up in the rubbish every hour in Berlin alone. The BETTER WORLD CUP initiative was launched in 2017 by the Senate Department for the Environment, Mobility, Climate and Consumer Protection and Berliner Stadtreinigung. A lot has happened since then:

Initially, the campaign focussed on disposable cups. A logo on the door or in the window of a shop indicated that customers could have their own reusable cups filled. The introduction of the obligation to offer reusable cups means that this is now no longer necessary, as catering establishments of a certain size are obliged to accept containers that customers bring with them.

Deposit systems

Many caterers use deposit systems that provide them with reusable crockery. A very common provider in Berlin is Recup. But there are also other deposit systems such as: Fair Cup, PFABO, Recircle, Relevo, Tiffin Loop, Vytal and Einfach Mehrweg. You can find out in which grocery shops and restaurants you can use this service on the providers' websites. 

The best thing about it: You are actively contributing to environmental and climate protection. On the website of the Zero Waste Agentur initiative, you can find more information on the reusable packaging obligation. 

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