08:30, 21 August 2025
Words by Cheyanne Bryan, Editorial and Campaign Marketing Executive, London
In honour of World Entrepreneur Day, we’re shining a spotlight on Ali Hood, founder and CEO of Recirculate Systems Ltd, a pioneering company that’s tackling one of the biggest environmental challenges of our time – single-use plastics.
With a mission to facilitate a circular economy, Ali has developed a smart, software-driven solution that allows customers to share reusable items, like coffee cups, across various brands and businesses, all without changing any of their consumer habits. This innovative approach eliminates the need for brand-specific returns, creating a seamless and sustainable experience for both consumers and businesses alike.
By linking different payment systems, it ensures that reusable products can be returned and reused without the friction that usually comes with brand-specific deposit schemes. The result? A seamless experience for both customers and businesses that helps tackle the ever-growing issue of single-use plastics.
Smiley News met Ali and his team at the Blue Earth Forum, where we were fascinated to hear all about this innovative system.
The brilliance of Recirculate Systems lies in its simplicity. Most of us are familiar with the inconvenience of forgetting your reusable coffee cup and wanting to get the discount that comes with these sustainable behaviours in this current system.
But Recirculate Systems does away with this outdated model, enabling customers to return items anywhere within a network of participating businesses. The software uses RFID technology to automatically link cups or containers to a transaction, and deposits are refunded with a single click. No need for customers to remember where they made the purchase.
“We wanted to make it as easy as possible for people to adopt reusable habits without changing their behaviour,” explains Ali.
The system’s minimal disruption to the status quo is one of its key selling points. Rather than asking consumers to drastically alter their routines, it works seamlessly with existing systems, creating a frictionless experience for those who might otherwise shy away from more complex alternatives.
At the Blue Earth Forum, we saw their innovation in action through a partnership with City to Sea. Used coffee cups could be placed in designated return bins, and once collected, the cups were cleaned to be used again and the deposit added at purchase was automatically refunded.
The system has already been successfully piloted at a football club in the Midlands, where single-use plastics posed a significant challenge. By integrating Recirculate Systems, the club was able to reduce its reliance on disposable cups while maintaining efficiency, ensuring no lost revenue from beer sales. The result was a win-win: an environmentally friendly solution that didn’t sacrifice business operations.
Building on this success, Recirculate Systems has expanded into cafes in Sheffield and is now working on licensing the software to existing reuse networks across the UK. Ali’s vision doesn’t stop there. The company is actively working to scale the solution to universities, airports, and other high-traffic locations, creating a nationwide network of reusable systems.
Looking to the future, Ali is focused on further partnerships and developing new branding for the reuse campaign. With plans to reach even more locations and bring in more brands, Recirculate Systems aims to transform the way we view waste, and help reduce our dependency on disposable plastics once and for all.
As Ali says: “This isn’t about asking people to change their habits. It’s about providing them with an easier way to make the right choice.”
In a time when sustainability has never been more urgent, Recirculate Systems offers a glimpse of how technology and collaboration can make the circular economy a reality. It’s a small change in process that could lead to a big difference in the fight against plastic waste.
To work with Recirculate Systems or learn more about their work, visit their website here: https://www.recirculatesystems.com/
At Smiley Movement, we elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this post.
The Soil Association. This charity is focused on the effect of agriculture on the environment. They campaign for local purchasing, public education on nutrition and certification of organic foods, and against intensive farming. Find out more.
City to Sea. This is a Bristol-based charity focused on reducing plastic pollution at source, promoting waste reduction, and encouraging people to adopt sustainable practices to protect rivers, oceans, and wildlife. Find out more here.
Ash Den. This charity has the goal to accelerate transformative climate solutions and build a more just world, specifically working in the UK and Global South. Support them here.
This article aligns with the SDG Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.
