RECOUP Attend BB Reg Net Event in London.

The BB Reg Net launched in December 2024, with a mission to position the UK as a global leader in developing, manufacturing, and exporting bio-based and biodegradable solutions.

The BBIA hosted a day filled with discussions and networking linked to the 4 working groups, split across four interactive workshops. The workshops were aimed at generating new evidence for bio-based materials, focused on economic impact, environmental impact, the circular bioeconomy and communication.

RECOUP attended the workshops on bio-based materials and the links to littering and microplastics, hosted by Adrian Higson, and how to avoid greenwashing, hosted by Joanna Gavins.

Some of our takeaways from the day revolved around how standards and certifications affect stakeholders and manufacturers, particularly when there is a cost to repeated testing and the implications of standards and guidance changing for the brands and manufacturers of materials and packaging.

The next workshop focused on links to communications and greenwashing, with a challenge to describe our companies without using a list of common greenwashing terms. Through this workshop we learned that our use of language has an influence on how our messages are perceived by the public and our customers. For example, negative language helps to influence concrete actions, such as ‘do not litter’, while positive language is better for information or brand building.

Overall it was a good turnout and there were lots of discussions going on, RECOUP hopes to attend the next meeting on July 1st in York. Thank you to Dr Jen Vanderhoven and the BBIA for the invitation and hosting us for the day.

You can find out more about BB Reg Net here.