Is your loyalty scheme aligned with your sustainability goals?

Sustainability might not be the first thing that comes to mind when designing your loyalty programme, but it can play an important role in helping achieve your sustainability goals while reinforcing your eco-credential to customers. Here are several ways pubs, cafes and restaurants can leverage their loyalty programmes to promote sustainability.

1. Reward Sustainable Choices

Encouraging customers to make environmentally friendly choices is a practical step. Restaurants can use loyalty programmes to reward customers who opt for plant-based meals, bring their own reusable containers, or order digitally instead of using paper menus. For instance, a customer might receive extra points for choosing a vegetarian dish over a meat-based one, thus promoting lower carbon footprints associated with plant-based diets. Additionally, rewarding customers who bring their own reusable cups or containers can significantly reduce single-use plastic waste.?

2. Promote Local and Seasonal Ingredients

Loyalty programmes can highlight the benefits of local and seasonal produce. Restaurateurs can design special offers or award extra points for dishes made with locally sourced ingredients, which helps reduce the carbon footprint associated with transporting food over long distances. Seasonal menus not only provide fresh and healthy options but also support local farmers and reduce the environmental impact of food production.

3. Go Digital

Digital loyalty can also provide valuable data insights, helping restaurateurs tailor their marketing efforts more effectively. Transitioning from physical loyalty cards to digital ones can reduce paper and plastic waste, and this can help to support overcome complaints from customers wedded to their paper stamp card. Mobile apps not only make it easier for customers to track their points but also align with environmentally conscious practices by minimising resource usage.

4. Eco-rewards

Not all customers are rewarded by free doughballs or a cocktail on their birthday. Give your loyalty programme wider appeal by adding options to redeem points for feel-food rewards like charity donations, tree planting or development schemes. These options can be a useful way to reinforce specific environmental causes and links with charity partners.

5. Sustainable Merchandise

Offering eco-friendly merchandise as part of the loyalty rewards can promote sustainable living. Items such as reusable straws, coffee cups, or water bottles can serve as both a reward and a reminder of the venue’s commitment to sustainability. This not only reduces single-use plastic but also encourages customers to adopt greener habits in their daily lives.

6. Incentivise Sustainable Practices

Encouraging customers to participate in sustainability initiatives can foster a sense of community and shared responsibility. For example, restaurants can offer loyalty points for customers who participate in local clean-up events or support community gardens. Collaborations with environmental organisations and hosting sustainability workshops can also be integrated into loyalty schemes, potentially going beyond points-based loyalty to offer money-can’t-buy experiences.

7. Transparent Reporting

Transparency is key to building trust and demonstrating genuine commitment to sustainability. Restaurants can use their loyalty programmes to keep customers informed about their sustainability efforts and progress. Regular updates, whether through newsletters or in-app messages, can showcase achievements such as reduced waste, energy savings or successful community projects.

Integrating sustainability into loyalty schemes offers a dual benefit: enhancing customer engagement and contributing to environmental conservation. By rewarding sustainable choices, promoting local ingredients, incentivising eco-friendly practices, and maintaining transparency, restaurateurs can build a loyal customer base that is both environmentally conscious and supportive of the restaurant's long-term sustainability goals.

Sustainable Hospitality is produced by Rob Kidd, an independent consultant working in food and hospitality.

For more, check out www.sustainable-hospitality.uk.