Buxton #RiseUpAndRecycle

BUXTON has taken a long term, cross-functional strategic approach to increasing the amount of recycled plastic in its bottles. It has required different types of investment. From technical expertise internally, procurement and quality inputs, packaging design and manufacturing to engaging with many external stakeholders on the challenges and finding partners who share a similar ambition. The safety and quality of packaging is non-negotiable in order to protect the natural water within and allow our consumers to continue enjoying the purity of BUXTON natural mineral water. To celebrate the achievement of being 100% recycled and recyclable, BUXTON launched a sustainability campaign that was executed in several waves. The campaign, that ran between August and December 2022, invited consumers to #RiseUpAndRecycle by educating them on the plastic recycling loop, reducing plastic waste, encouraged recycling and use of recycled bottles. BUXTON's 100% recycled and recyclable bottles campaign had three main ambitions. Firstly, the campaign aimed to drive awareness and authenticity on a topic for which big corporations are often accused of greenwashing. Secondly, the campaign aimed to create a differentiating perception in the minds of consumers, despite research showing that currently no bottled water brand is driving differentiation on sustainability. Additionally, consumers struggle to remember brands they perceive as being sustainable, making it crucial to retain their attention. Finally, the campaign aimed to educate consumers on the importance of recycling and using recycled materials, to help ensure there is enough recycled resin in the UK to produce more recycled bottles. Despite these challenges, the campaign achieved significant success. BUXTON is a leading brand for rPET awareness2 in the UK and is considered the most sustainable bottled water brand in the UK3. The campaign lead very high engagement rates with micro-influencers (43% engagement rate, vs usual 2.5% average for these influencers), and the sentiment towards the campaign was overwhelmingly positive, with a 90% positive sentiment rate (average benchmark for Nestlé brands is 70%). Furthermore, a Facebook brand-lift study confirmed that the campaign drove above-category ad recall, message association, message retention, and drove a significant consideration uplift (+5 pts yoy conversion from consideration into trial, vs -4 for Highland spring). BUXTON's 100% recycled and recyclable bottles campaign successfully achieved its ambitions and made a significant impact in promoting sustainability and educating consumers.