13:40, 17 June 2025
Words by Cheyanne Bryan, Editorial and Campaign Marketing Executive, London
Do you think consciously about how much single-use plastic you use daily? Well now is a good time to make some much needed change!
This week kicks off the World Refill Day campaign! A Global Day of Action with the aim to inspire everyone around the world to think critically about where they can make some simple swaps to reusable supplies.
Whether you bring a collapsible reusable coffee cup or decide to get your pasta package-free, any substitute is a better option for you and the planet.
Think you’re up for the challenge? Well, environmental charity City to Sea has a 5 day challenge from Monday 16th to Friday 20th June. Take on a new swap each day or stick to one for the week and see how it changes your life for the better.
To get to know more about this campaign, Smiley News spoke to Céline Deschamps, Programme Lead at City to Sea.
The beauty of reuse is that it’s flexible – it can take so many forms. What’s an easy swap for one person might look very different for someone else. But over the years, we’ve seen a real shift: an unstoppable movement towards reducing waste and embracing reusable options.
The key is to start small. Simple things like carrying a reusable water bottle, bringing your own cup for hot drinks, or choosing loose fruit and veg have become normalised thanks to our incredible community of changemakers.
Nearly 8 in 10 people in the UK are already taking steps to cut waste in their weekly shop – and 74% want more brands and retailers to offer refillable or returnable packaging.
Refill Return is City to Sea’s platform for powering the reuse revolution. What started in 2015 as a Bristol-based campaign to tackle plastic water bottles has grown into a global movement. Today, the app connects users to more than 330,000 refill stations worldwide, with over 35,000 in the UK.
It’s completely free and community-powered – anyone can add a station. It helps people find places to refill water bottles, use their own containers for takeaway food or drinks, or shop packaging-free. And now, it even features refillable products you can order online – like deodorant, toothpaste and cleaning products – bringing reuse right to your doorstep.
We estimate more than 100 million single-use plastic bottles have been saved thanks to the Refill Return app. That’s an incredible testament to the power of collective action.
We now have a global network of changemakers using the app to live with less waste – whether they’re refilling water bottles, grabbing takeaway in reusable containers, or choosing packaging-free groceries. It’s all about making reuse simple, visible, and part of everyday life.
A lot of people still associate reuse with carrying heavy jars to a zero-waste store. But the reality is far broader – and more accessible.
Refill can be as simple as using your own bag for produce, ordering refillable deodorant online, or even handing back your delivery box to the courier. These are all acts of reuse. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Every small action helps shift the system.
We’re also running the 5 Day Challenge for people to make small swaps over five days to prove individual action makes a big difference.
Watch the video below to learn more about the 5 Day Challenge.
The summit brought together leaders across policy, business, and activism to push forward the reuse agenda. Some of the most important takeaways were:
- A call for governments to set legally binding targets for reusable packaging.
- The need for shared infrastructure that brands and retailers can all use.
- And a recognition that we need bold, innovative solutions to make reuse mainstream.
It’s not just about changing consumer habits – it’s about transforming the systems that surround us.
Our mission is simple: to make plastic pollution a thing of the past. We’re behaviour change experts working with governments, businesses, local authorities, and communities to champion upstream solutions—preventing waste before it starts.
We’re behind campaigns like #CutTheCutlery, which helped ban single-use plastic cutlery in the UK, as well as Plastic-Free Periods, World Refill Day, and more. We believe the problem may be complex, but the solutions can be simple and joyful. Reuse is one of them.
If you would like to get a headstart on your plastic-reducing journey, download the free to use Refill Return app here. And to stay in the loop about the other work and campaigns City to Sea looks after, head over to their website here.
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
City to Sea. This environmental charity is on a mission to stop plastic pollution. Powered by their community to serve both people and businesses to change the world whilst having fun. Find out more.
Kids Against Plastic. This charity puts kids at the forefront of the anti-plastic movement. Educating children and young people on the impacts of plastic pollution and climate change. Learn more here.
WRAP (The Waste and Resources Action Programme). This NGO and charity works to transform the world’s current systems to one that promotes sustainable and circular living. Support them here.
