Reducing Single-Use Foodware

This briefing note details the first phase of a project to reduce single-use foodware in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Based on surveys of 26 food-service businesses and 50 customers conducted in the summer of 2025, the report identifies a high willingness among both groups to transition to reusables, despite barriers such as cost, convenience, and a lack of city-wide infrastructure.

• Winnipeg customers show a strong desire for restaurants to reduce single-use waste, with 74% of survey respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing that "Restaurants and coffee shops should do more to reduce single-use foodware."
• There is significant customer interest in returnable takeout programs in Winnipeg; 51% of respondents stated they would use a service to borrow or rent a cup or container "most or every time they ordered takeout" if it were available.
• While 69% of surveyed Winnipeg businesses allow customers to bring their own (BYO) reusable foodware, 83% of those businesses reported that "only 5% or less of their customers actually bring their own reusable foodware."
• Winnipeg food-service businesses generally feel ready to transition to reusables, with 81% reporting a readiness score between 5 and 10 on a 10-point scale. However, they identify key needs for support, including "financial assistance to procure reusable foodware," public health guidelines, and information on costs and environmental impacts.
• The federal single-use plastics ban has had a minimal impact on most surveyed Winnipeg businesses, though some reported "increased costs of materials" (such as bamboo being more expensive than plastic) and customer dissatisfaction with paper straws.
• The report concludes that Winnipeg lacks a city-wide reusable foodware program and recommends implementing one, noting that other cities like Toronto and Banff have successfully reduced waste through such initiatives.

APA

Langenfeld, D., & Rochman, C. (2026). Reducing Single-Use Foodware. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-04/reducing-single-use-foodware-winnipeg.pdf

Chicago

Langenfeld, Desiree, and Chelsea Rochman. Reducing Single-Use Foodware. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2026. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-04/reducing-single-use-foodware-winnipeg.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Langenfeld |first1=Desiree |last2=Rochman |first2=Chelsea |title=Reducing Single-Use Foodware |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=April 2026 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-04/reducing-single-use-foodware-winnipeg.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{langenfeld2026reducing, author = {Langenfeld, Desiree and Rochman, Chelsea}, title = {{Reducing Single-Use Foodware}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2026}, month = apr, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-04/reducing-single-use-foodware-winnipeg.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }