Covent Garden, the pedestrianised heart of London, is continuing its ongoing quest for a more sustainable capital this Plastic Free July. Proudly striving for a better environmental future, Covent Garden aims to minimise its own impact on the environment; as well as encouraging and supporting its restaurants and retailers in their efforts to become more sustainable and tackle plastic waste across the estate.
In support of its community, Covent Garden invites visitors to explore all of the retailers making positive and progressive changes in-store this Plastic Free July. From restaurateurs to cafés, and global and independent brands, there’s something to encourage everyone to make a more conscious choice for the environment. For coffees on-the-go, Chez Antoinette, Ladurée, Le Pain Quotidien and Oysterman continue to offer visitors the opportunity to bring their own reusable cup, whilst Avobar offers a free hot drink when first purchasing a KeepCup and a discount when reusing thereafter. Alongside KeepCups, a host of recyclable takeaway dishes, paper straws, cornstarch cutlery and paper bags are used across the estate by all of Covent Garden’s food and beverage tenants wherever possible. To support reducing their carbon footprint, hospitality brands including Le Pain Quotidien streamline deliveries to come from one supplier and Petersham Nurseries are offering a series of talks to celebrate their Oceanic Global partnership.
For plastic free beauty, Covent Garden’s DECIEM and L’Occitane are both participating locations for the TerraCycle recycling scheme and customers can recycle empty beauty bottles from any brand in-store and as an added incentive benefit from in store discounts. Floral Street Fragrance encourages purchasers to repurpose packaging as a compostable plant pot as well as offering fragrance refills in-store whilst their packaging uses a groundbreaking wood pulp carton - a first for the beauty world. A step towards eradicating disposable beauty, Molton Brown’s new 200ml glass bottle is reusable and refillable from their 600ml pouches, using 80% less plastic when manufactured and Aesop is gifting cotton bags with any purchase.
Leading by example, luxury brand Mulberry’s signature green packaging is made from disposable coffee cups, repurposing over 1.5million cups that would have ended up in landfill. They also offer the Mulberry Exchange, enabling customers to purchase authenticated pre-loved items. Other initiatives include; Free People using 100% recyclable packaging such as biodegradable fabric bags, and adventure sports retailer Ellis Brigham installing a refillable water station, and selling on-the-go reusable bottles, flasks and cutlery to eliminate single-use plastic items amongst consumers. New and exciting sustainable collections are also available across the estate, including Joseph Cheaney & Sons’ newly launched Eco Aware collection sold in 100% plastic free packaging and fashion-forward sunglasses company Hawkers’ showcasing eco-friendly H20 Line sunglasses made from recycled and biodegradable materials.
Covent Garden’s sustainability efforts have also been extended to its greening and horticulture programme which has introduced thousands of new plants across the estate, alongside reducing any plastic wastage as part of this by over 60%, even switching to bare root roses in place of potted ones. For the plastic pots still used, these have a 90% recycle rate and are recycled locally or sent back to the supplier after use for recycling or reuse.
This Summer Covent Garden has also unveiled a sustainable art installation by London-born artist Lakwena that sees a series of flags made with 100% recycled yarn from ocean waste installed across King Street and Henrietta Street. Emblazoned with the message “Nothing Can Separate Us” they will spread messages of togetherness as London welcomes the start of summer.
Covent Garden applies a responsible and forward-looking approach to environmental issues and the principles of sustainability and is proud to celebrate Plastic Free July alongside tenants who are also taking strides to be a part of the solution to end plastic pollution.
