How to raise money for charity by recycling sweet tubs

Greene King is running its Tub2Pub initiative again in the new year so customers can recycle their empty plastic confectionary and crackers tubs, saving waste from landfill and raising money for charity.

The leading pub company and brewers annual Tub2Pub campaign has become more and more popular over the years as it offers customers a simple recycling solution for the hundreds of thousands of polypropylene sweets and biscuits tubs sold over the festive period. 

Last year alone, around 150,000 plastic tubs were collected in Greene King pubs.

People can take their clean and empty plastic sweets and biscuits tubs to 1,600 participating Greene King managed pubs nationwide between January 1 and February 16.

Over the last five years, Tub2Pub has collected 26,253kg of plastic, which is around 230,000 tubs, raising £23,908 for Greene King’s charity partner, Macmillan Cancer Support.

These tubs cannot always be recycled at kerbside waste collections, so the network of pubs provide convenient drop-off points for customers looking for a recycling solution and doing their bit for the environment. This is an example of Greene King offering sustainable choices to its customers.

Greene King partners with recycling solutions experts, co-cre8 to run the Tub2Pub campaign. The polypropylene tubs are turned into granulated plastic by DCW Polymers which can then be used in new, UK-made 100% recycled plastic outdoor products, such as picnic benches and dog agility equipment.

Vance Fairman-Smith, Greene King’s group supply chain director, said: “Tub2Pub is becoming a key part of the festive calendar now which is so good to see. Every year we see more and more people bringing their tubs to our pubs – this is really positive for both the environment and for charity. The simplicity of the scheme makes it the success it is, and we are hoping for another record-breaking year in 2025. The appetite for recycling is becoming a part of everyday life and we are delighted to help our customers do their bit.”

Peter Goodwin, co-cre8 managing director said: “We have already been receiving enquiries for Tub2Pub 2025 and let’s hope that we can collectively recycle more tubs, and therefore generate more funds for Macmillan, than last year.”

Nicola Keith, Acting Head of Corporate Partnerships at Macmillan Cancer Support said: “Every year we are delighted by the efforts of Greene King customers supporting Tub2Pub. To think people can be enjoying their festive sweets and crackers, then by simply taking the empty tubs to their local pub, it can be recycled, and the proceeds help someone who is living with cancer. It really does make such a difference to people – what could have ended up in landfill has such a value to someone.”

For more information go to www.tub2pub.co.uk/tub2pub/ which lists participating Greene King pubs.