• Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Mail
+44 (0)1865 236 500
3Keel
  • About us
    • Team
    • Work with us
    • Our sustainability
    • Social responsibility
  • Practice areas
    • Climate Change
    • Circular Economy
    • Sustainable Commodities
    • Landscape Innovation
    • Resilient Agriculture
    • Bespoke Research
  • News & Insights
  • Projects
    • Clients
    • Published reports
    • Case studies
  • Contact
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
Sustainability advisors
CASE STUDY PODBACK

Developing a coffee pod recycling scheme with Nestlé and JDE

We’ve been working with 10 partner organisations to create a cross-industry, collaborative scheme allowing customers to recycle coffee pods across the UK.

Sustainable commodities
Resilient agriculture
Product ecodesign
Landscape innovation
Climate change
Bespoke analysis

AREA CIRCULAR ECONOMY

LEAD ALEX HETHERINGTON

CLIENT PODBACK

H

aving worked with Podback founding members for several years to develop beverage pod collection and recycling, 3Keel were delighted that Nestlé and Jacobs Douwe Egberts UK (JDE UK, part of the JDE Peet’s Group), the two biggest players in the UK coffee industry, covering brands including Nespresso, Nescafé Dolce Gusto and Tassimo, announced in November 2020 that they were joining forces to create Podback. As a not-for-profit organisation, Podback is the UK’s first cross-industry collaboration of its kind within the coffee sector, providing several easy ways for UK consumers to recycle their coffee pods.

As Scheme Managers for Podback, 3Keel have been instrumental in developing and maximising the effectiveness of the collaboration between the founding members and all partners, combining practical knowledge, programme management, and on-the-ground implementation skills to develop the end-to-end solution. Once launched in early 2021, Podback will enable UK coffee pod consumers of all member brands to recycle their pods.

Bringing the scheme to life has involved coordinating a 40+ member project team from 10 partner organisations, with the scope developed through research and analysis of the recycling landscape and consumer behaviours, an understanding of the current PRN system and anticipated future changes to regulations such as EPR. Using extensive stakeholder management, facilitation, conceptualisation, programme management, and financial modelling, a consumer-centric programme has been developed which recognises that the key to driving participation in any recycling scheme is simplicity for the consumer. The resultant programme includes three main collection channels; Kerbside, Bring-back and Handover@Home.

As the simplest route for consumers to recycle, kerbside collection will be available in three local authorities for launch, with Podback aiming to recruit local authorities representing 50% of UK households within 2 years. Recognising that implementation of kerbside collection at scale will take time, 3Keel will also be managing the Bring-back and Handover@Home routes, with consumers able to recycle their pods via Collect+Yodel parcel points from launch in order to attain full geographic coverage. Handover@home will be introduced later in 2021, enabling consumers to return their pods via grocery home delivery services.

With the UK’s largest coffee pod brands as scheme co-founders, we are actively recruiting other members, with the ambition to include all coffee brands that use plastic or aluminium pods in the UK. Whilst the resultant scheme is aimed at coffee pods, the model developed is equally well suited to other difficult to recycle materials, the financial and organisational viability of which will further increase with the move to modulated fees anticipated under the EPR revisions in 2023.

Share this entry
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share by Mail

“As the Nestle lead for the recycling collaboration ‘Podback’, I have worked with 3keel throughout the programme from the early scoping stage to the final stage of delivery. Throughout the different stages 3Keel have added value bringing the outside-in, providing challenge to our thinking, mediating between parties on complex and political decisions and excellent project management support. I would thoroughly recommend them as a partner if you are about to embark on this type of initiative.”

Julie Gallacher, Corporate Communications & Sustainability, Nespresso UK & ROI

“Creating Podback has been a complex undertaking, and we have been impressed by 3Keel’s ability to drive the programme forward. As we move towards the launch phase, their depth of knowledge and project management support has been invaluable as we bring more partners on board.”

Tasmina Hoque-Harwood
Head of Corporate and Government Affairs, UK & Ireland at JACOBS DOUWE EGBERTS

More case studies you may be interested in

Accelerating the transition to circular fashion

January 26, 2022
CLIENT BRITISH FASHION COUNCIL
https://www.3keel.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/BFC_sf.jpg 200 360 Richard Scott https://www.3keel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/3keel_logo_340x156-01.png Richard Scott2022-01-26 15:35:332022-06-09 10:24:32Accelerating the transition to circular fashion

Supporting the innocent hero supplier programme

October 7, 2021
CLIENT INNOCENT DRINKS
https://www.3keel.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/maxresdefault-1-1.jpeg 200 360 Emma https://www.3keel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/3keel_logo_340x156-01.png Emma2021-10-07 16:40:432022-06-09 10:26:12Supporting the innocent hero supplier programme
image of two models seated, looking at camera. text on shirts reads "all our children"

3Keel helps to shape the future of the British fashion industry 

September 21, 2021
The British Fashion Council has launched...
https://www.3keel.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/fashion_news_sf.jpg 200 360 Josh https://www.3keel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/3keel_logo_340x156-01.png Josh2021-09-21 15:52:332021-09-23 00:54:383Keel helps to shape the future of the British fashion industry 
Sign up for our newsletter

By clicking ‘subscribe’ you agree to receive marketing communications from 3Keel. You can unsubscribe from these updates at any time. For more information click here to see our privacy policy.

    Twitter
    Linkedin
    Mail
3keel green hosting certificate
Get in touch

+44 (0)1865 236500

office@3keel.com

B-Corp
Registered office

7 Fenlock Court
Blenheim Business Park
Long Hanborough
Oxfordshire
OX29 8LN
United Kingdom

3Keel LLP – Sustainability advisors Company registered in England and Wales Number OC394665© Copyright - 3keel
Scroll to top

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

Accept settingsHide notification onlySettings

Cookie and Privacy Settings



How we use cookies

We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.

Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.

Essential Website Cookies

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.

Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.

We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.

We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.

Google Analytics Cookies

These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience.

If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here:

Other external services

We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.

Google Webfont Settings:

Google Map Settings:

Google reCaptcha Settings:

Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:

Other cookies

The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them:

Accept settingsHide notification only