5 Key Lessons From the New Zero Waste Bar Guide
WE SHARE FIVE KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE ZERO WASTE BAR GUIDE, LAUNCHED THIS WEEK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SUSTAINABLE WINE SOLUTIONS AND THE PORTO PROTOCOL!
We were delighted to host an event at Tate earlier this week to celebrate the launch of The Last Straw Collective and the Zero Waste Bar Guide. The Zero Waste movement is growing quickly, and sustainability is no longer a 'nice to have' — it’s becoming a core part of how successful bars operate.
Created by The Porto Protocol, Sustainable Wine Solutions and our team at The SRA, the Zero Waste Bar Guide is designed to help bar teams to turn theory into action, with practical steps, real-life examples and smart ideas to get your business moving in the right direction. The Guide also covers wider impact areas like water, biodiversity, social responsibility and carbon emissions — so it’s well worth a read!
Read on for five key lessons from the Zero Waste Bar Guide, and download your copy here for the full read.
1. There is a real business case for zero waste.
It’s easy to understand why embracing a zero-waste mindset is important for the environment, since it reduces greenhouse gases, pollution and demand for natural resources — but did you know there’s also a very strong business case for working towards zero waste? Businesses who place high value on waste reduction see reduced costs in waste disposal and ingredients, better profit margins, increased operational efficiency, strong brand loyalty, more engaged teams and improved recruitment and retention.
“From an operational perspective, Zero Waste is a dream for any Ops Director. A closed-loop system simplifies logistics, reduces waste handling and cuts costs — it’s a game changer for the on-trade. I certainly wish it had been an option when I was Head of Ops at Barworks.”
– Alex Wolpert, Managing Director at East London Liquor Co., UK
2. Prevention is best.
We can’t recycle our way to a better future: prevention is the most effective (and the cheapest!) form of reduction, so maintain a focus on where you can avoid creating waste in the first place.
Look for opportunities to prevent waste upstream by ordering smarter and buying only what you need, ideally in bulk. Rethink what you buy and how it arrives, choosing products with minimal or no packaging. Create hard boundaries where necessary: make it clear to your suppliers that if a product arrives in single-use plastic packaging, you will send it back. Any object that can’t be reused, repaired or recycled doesn’t belong in your bar.
“The best way of solving waste is not creating it.”
– Albert Franck Sunyer, Co-Founder at Ravintola Nolla, Finland.
3. Circularity can be applied to every part of your operation.
Zero waste isn’t just a mindset — it’s a design principle. A true zero-waste bar is designed for flow, not perfection; it’s an ecosystem in which ingredients, packaging and energy loop continuously instead of leaking away as waste. From your drinks, ingredients and barware to appliances and cleaning products, every part of your offering can be redesigned with zero waste in mind, keeping materials in circulation and out of the bin. Both product and packaging must meet the same sustainability standards; when one falls short, so does the whole system.
Building a smart circular system begins with keen observation. Even simple tracking — weighing food waste weekly or logging how many drinks you serve on tap — builds awareness and accountability. Pay attention and start seeing where you can tighten those loops; spending time designing the right systems for your bar will pay off.
“We take a holistic approach to sustainability, considering the impact of every decision we make as a business on the environment and our community. That's why we formed an internal sustainability drive group, which works across departments to create policies and act as a green lens for all decision-making.”
— Crate Brewery, UK
4. Working more closely with your suppliers is key.
The responsibility for reducing waste originates upstream, with those creating and distributing your products. Choose suppliers who are demonstrably committed to the circular economy. Prioritise bulk deliveries in reusable containers, refillable kegs, and bottle return schemes. If suppliers don’t yet have such options, ask what would make them possible — progress often starts with one persistent customer.
Look for real data, not vague claims like ‘natural’, eco’ or ‘green’; a genuinely circular supplier will be able to show how their systems minimise impact from start to finish. The Zero Waste Guide includes specific questions you can ask about your suppliers’ practices and policies, and about the packaging materials they use.
“Once you’ve gained control over waste in your in-house operations, seeking greater efficiency throughout your supply chain is an incredibly powerful way to magnify your impact.”
– Juliane Caillouette Noble, Managing Director, The SRA
5. Zero waste is not about perfection — it’s about progress.
It’s not about perfection, but persistence: a daily commitment to rethink, redesign and reduce at every stage of the supply chain. For this to bre successful in the long term, it’s critical that this ethos is embedded into your company culture.
Start with a Zero Waste Manifesto, making your vision clear and visible; this reminds you why you started and helps you to stay true to your principles, one decision at a time. Circularity thrives on participation, so make sure your team is engaged and motivated. Provide training, delegate clear roles and responsibilities and offer incentives for hitting reduction targets.
“You need to take this seriously. A bar might only make a small impact, but if we all do it together, it adds up.”
– Angelita bar, Spain
Introducing The Last Straw Collective
To further drive change across the sector, Sustainable Wine Solutions has founded The Last Straw Collective — a community of supply chain activists offering zero waste solutions to the industry. The collective aims to serve a distinct gap for the market: though many venues want to reduce waste, there was no single supplier offering a complete, low-impact drinks portfolio. The Collective now brings together wine, beer, spirits and non-alcoholic serves in a full-service, low-impact portfolio, and is continuing to grow into a wider network of suppliers and activists pushing for a waste-free future behind the bar.
Meet The Last Straw Collective:
- Sustainable Wine Solutions – pioneers of wine-on-tap and a bottle return system, replacing single-use bottles with closed-loop models.
- East London Liquor Company – an independent distillery offering locally produced spirits with refill and reuse options.
- Pillars Brewery – London’s first craft lager brewery, reducing waste through efficient brewing, local sourcing, and refillable kegs.
- Fgttn Spirits – transforms surplus into premium spirits, using precision cold extraction and ultrasonic cavitation to capture intense flavours from second-life ingredients sourced from UK farms, producers and manufacturers.
- Necense Soda – crafting natural sodas from whole fruit, minimising food waste and unnecessary packaging.
- Bewtr – providing filtered water systems designed to eliminate single-use plastic bottles in hospitality.
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