Heineken commissions ‘reclaimed plastic’ football fan statues to spur on sustainability

Billed as an effort to remove plastic from their grounds, the artistic intent behind the initiative is to inspire fans to adopt more environmentally-friendly lifestyles.

Tottenham Hotspur has been crowned as the greenest Premier League club by the UN-backed Sport Positive Summit for its single-use plastic reduction measures such as the use of wooden cutlery, drinking water cartons and recyclable packaging. Operating a zero-landfill policy, the club encourages recycling of beer cups and food packaging, and even its replica jerseys are manufactured from 100% recycled polyester.

Manchester City has also made good progress on the issue, with the trial of edible coffee cups, compostable packaging and a new pitch that recovers two-thirds of irrigation water.

James Crampton, corporate affairs director for Heineken UK, said: “Over the past 10 years, we have laid a solid foundation with our sustainability strategy, Brew a Better World, which focuses on the environment, social sustainability and responsible consumption. However, there is still much work to be done. We are on a journey, just like every other business and individual on this planet, to make positive changes to reduce our impact on the planet.

“Together with forward-thinking partners like Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, we hope to inspire others by demonstrating the benefit small changes can have on our planet’s future. We hope our #NoPlasticFansHere campaign will do just that and spark a conversation among football fans and the wider public, encouraging more people to choose plastic-free and sustainable options where possible.”

For its part, Heineken has ceased supplying all single-use plastic bottles to its pub, bar, stadia and event venue customers.