Frag nach Mehrweg: Keep Your Hood Looking Good with Reusables

Even before the pandemic, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg faced growing waste issues in parks and public spaces – an issue made worse by the rise of takeaway culture during COVID-19. Overflowing bins and piles of disposable packaging became common sights in hotspots like Admiralbrücke and Boxhagener Platz.

“Frag nach Mehrweg!” (“Ask for reusables!”) encouraged behavior change on both sides of the counter – supporting hospitality businesses and empowering customers. Multilingual student teams provided hands-on consulting to restaurants, introducing reusable systems from deposit-based to BYO containers. To reach the public, we combined digital media, signage in green spaces, and market pop-ups with reuse vendors. The slogan resonated so well, it was later adopted by one of the reuse startups for their own communications.

Project Overview

Client: Bezirksamt Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg

On behalf of: NEW STANDARD.S

In Collaboration with: Circular.Berlin

My role: Concept

Timeline: December 2021 – November 2022

My Role

I developed the original concept, strategy, and campaign architecture that won the public tender. After returning from parental leave, I rejoined the project to evaluate its outcomes and write the final public-facing report. Key responsibilities included: 

  • Designing the overall strategy and narrative framework

  • Mapping out the two-pillar approach for outreach and public awareness

  • Design of the collaboration framework to accelerate impact together with both local startups and city stakeholders

  • Conducting the project evaluation and authoring the final impact report

  • 95% of all contacted establishments agreed to fill reusable containers brought by customers by the end of the campaign

  • 10% of businesses adopted their own reusable container systems during the project period

  • Campaign visibility across key public spaces (including three major U-Bahn stations) and strong press coverage helped amplify the message to a broad audience

  • A meaningful step for the district on its path toward Zero Waste certification

  • Read the full report here.

Project Impact

What I learned

  • The reuse ecosystem is still nascent – market penetration for reusables was just 0.7% in 2022 and 1.6% in 2023 (WWF Mehrweg Playbook). Instead of startups competing for market share, we need cross-platform collaboration to raise overall adoption and awareness.

  • In Germany, new food businesses are required to submit hygiene plans. Adding a mandatory sustainability and reusables concept would create a major legal lever toward normalized circular practices.

  • Many takeout-heavy restaurants are hesitant to adopt reusables due to dishwashing labor costs. Government support – such as funding for an additional hire, potentially targeting refugee employment – could close this gap.

  • Single-use culture is deeply embedded in media and marketing. Updating visuals and media guidelines to reflect reusable packaging (now easily achievable with AI-generated stock imagery) would help normalize sustainable behaviors.

  • Just like the Grüner Punkt became a unified, nationwide recycling label in 1997, the next step for reuse should be a standardized deposit return system, compatible across platforms and retailers.

Sustainability in Action

Frag nach Mehrweg turned policy into practice by helping businesses and residents embrace reusables (SDG12). The campaign strengthened local partnerships (SDG17) and made circular practices visible and accessible across the district (SDG 11).

Key Takeaways

Reusables are a systems issue, not a design challenge – collaboration and infrastructure are key

Embedding circularity into regulation could massively accelerate adoption

Even small public campaigns, when targeted and timely, can move the needle in visible ways

Real-world impact requires a mix of grassroots outreach, systemic thinking, and cultural change