How To Set Achievable Reuse Goals for Your Venue in 2026

If you've been thinking about implementing reusable systems at your venue, 2026 is the year to make it happen. The conversation around sustainability isn't just growing, it's becoming essential to how venues operate.

With various legislation coming into effect, and consumer increasingly becoming more and more conscious over their decisions, the time for venues to act is now.

Key Takeaways:

• Setting SMART reuse goals gives your venue a clear roadmap from single-use to sustainable.

• Digital tracking tools turn your reuse efforts into measurable data for ESG reporting.

• Regular progress reviews and milestone targets keep your reuse system improving over time.

Why Setting Reuse Goals Matters

Setting reuse goals isn’t just about ticking a sustainability box; it’s about positioning your venue for long-term success and being a frontrunner in the industry.

Consumer Demand:

Today’s visitors are more environmentally conscious, and they’re paying closer attention to how venues operate behind the scenes. Waste handling, reliance on single-use items, and visible sustainability measures all contribute to how a brand or venue is perceived.

When reuse systems are clearly visible and easy to take part in, they signal that sustainability commitments are being put into practice, not just talked about. This builds trust. Consumers are increasingly wary of vague environmental claims, but practical, everyday actions demonstrate credibility in a way that messaging alone cannot.

Importantly, involving consumers in reuse creates shared ownership. Rather than sustainability being something that happens “in the background,” it becomes part of the interaction between the venue and its visitors. This can strengthen brand loyalty, encourage repeat visits, and align your venue with the values your audience already cares about.

Getting consumers involved adds an extra layer to their experience and their connection to your venue. If you’re looking to take this further, explore how you can engage consumers with reuse.

Business Benefits:

Whilst there is an initial investment in reusable systems, the cost savings add up quickly. You’ll spend less on constantly purchasing disposables, reduce waste management costs, and potentially avoid fines as regulations are enforced.

Clear goals also make reuse systems easier to manage and optimise. By monitoring progress against defined targets, venues can see what is working, where losses or inefficiencies occur, and where adjustments can reduce costs or improve system performance.

Beyond direct financial benefits, strong sustainability practices can enhance reputation and credibility. Demonstrating measurable action supports corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitments and strengthens Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting, particularly where organisations are expected to evidence progress rather than intent.

Without specific targets, sustainability ambitions risk remaining vague. Setting reuse goals helps define what progress actually looks like, establishes clear metrics for success, and enables venues to demonstrate tangible, trackable change over time.

UN Global Goals

Your reuse goals aren't just good for your venue; they're part of a global commitment to change. The UN's Global Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production calls for sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources by 2030. By setting reuse goals and switching to reusables, you're directly contributing to this worldwide effort whilst strengthening your own business.

Responsible Consumption and Production is just one of the goals set by the UN to tackle climate change and environmental issues | Image: Freepik

How to Set Achievable Reuse Goals

The key to setting successful reuse goals is making them realistic and achievable for your venue.

Audits

Before you set any goals, you need to understand your current situation. Conduct a waste audit to see what single-use items you’re going through, such as cups, food containers, and cutlery. Track quantities over a single event period to see what you are working with.

Conducting audits provides a clear starting point and identifies where reuse will have the biggest impact, allowing you to understand where you should start.

SMART Goals

Once you have completed an audit and decided on what you want to change. Setting goals shows your intention to work towards change, providing a clear way to measure success.

Use the SMART framework to help set your goals to ensure that they are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This will provide you a vision on what you will need to put in place to reduce your single-use usage.

Instead of saying “we will aim to reduce waste”, your target could be “By 31 December 2026, replace at least 80% of single-use cups with reusable cups across all participating venues, measured by total drink transactions recorded through the reuse system.”

Prioritise High Impact Areas

You don’t need to tackle everything at once. Look at your audit results and identify where will see the biggest impact, and then progress to other areas.

For most venues, drink containers are a significant point for single-use waste reduction – they’re used in high volumes, relatively simple to manage, and with the increase in reusable cups in other venues, visitors are already familiar with them.

Tracking Goal Progress

Setting goals is just the beginning; tracking your progress is what turns your goals into results. There are a few ways to track your progress to help you with your goals.

Circulayo's Flow Platform is designed to help track and manage reuse systems, allowing operation managers report on the progress and impact.

Digital tools make monitoring simple. Modern technology is transforming reuse systems and how venues can track them with data. Platforms like our Flow Platform, use identifiers on reusable items to automatically track usage, returns, and environmental impact. Instead of manual counting and guesswork, you get real-time data on how many items are in circulation, return rates, waste diverted, and cost savings. This data becomes invaluable for your ESG reports, showing stakeholders exactly what you've achieved with concrete numbers.

Regular reporting keeps you accountable. Set up a rhythm for reviewing your tracking data. These check-ins let you see if you're on track to meet your goals, identify any problems before they become major issues, and celebrate your wins. Share these reports with your team and stakeholders to maintain momentum and demonstrate your commitment to the goals you've set.

Listen to your visitors. The numbers tell part of the story, but visitor feedback tells you how your reuse system is actually working on the ground. Are people finding it easy to use? Are there bottlenecks at return points? What would make them more likely to return items? Regular feedback, whether through quick surveys, comment cards, or informal conversations, helps you spot issues early and identify improvements.

Positive testimonials also become powerful marketing tools, showing potential clients and visitors that your sustainability efforts are well-received.

Tips for Continuous Improvement

Implementing a reuse system isn't a one-time project—it's an ongoing process that improves over time. Here are some key ways to keep your reuse goals on track:

• Review and update goals quarterly or bi-annually. What seemed ambitious six months ago might now feel routine. Adjust your targets as you progress or if circumstances change.

• Stay informed on regulations and innovations. Follow industry publications and sustainability networks. With the DRS coming in 2027, keeping ahead of regulatory changes is essential.

• Break big goals into smaller milestones. Aim for 25% reusables, then 50%, then 75%, rather than jumping straight to 100%. Celebrate each win along the way.

• Scale into new areas gradually. Start with cups, then expand to food containers, then textiles. Each new reusable category compounds your environmental impact and cost savings.

Setting reuse goals in 2026 isn't just good for the planet; it's good for business. With consumer expectations rising, legislation tightening, and the DRS on the horizon, venues that establish strong reuse systems now will be ahead of the curve.

The key is starting with clear, achievable goals based on your venue's specific situation, tracking your progress with reliable data, and continuously improving your systems. With the right tools, realistic targets, and commitment to continuous improvement, your venue can lead the way in responsible consumption whilst reaping the business benefits that come with it.

The time is now to set your goals. Need help with tracking your reuse system goals? Book a demo to see how the Flow Platform can support you.