Vancouver-founded smoothie and supplement shop Body Energy Club has joined the movement to end single-use garbage by partnering with a local cup-sharing program.
Sharewares is a Vancouver-based program that rents, returns, sanitizes and redistributes plastic cups to retailers.
“From recycling programs to reusable cups, our goal is to introduce ways for every member of our community to participate, regardless of how they shop with us,” mentioned Founder and CEO of BEC Dominick Tousignant in a press release.
BEC soft-launched the program on Earth Day 2022, and since, has implemented the project at nine locations all across metro Vancouver which can be found on a map here.
How It Works
Upon visiting any of these nine locations, customers can borrow a reusable cup made from 100 per cent recycled polypropylene plastic for a deposit of $3 instead of paying the city's $0.25 cent cup fee.
Once customers finish their smoothie, they have around seven days to return the cup via the Sharewares app, by returning the cup to any of the nearest bins in BEC, other affiliate businesses or return stations in Vancouver.
If customers bring the cup back in person at certain locations, they receive their deposit in cash. But if they use the app, the deposit is sent back via eTransfer.
Sharewares Cup-Sharing Program
The Sharewares cup sharing program was founded by Cody Irwin, a McGill Graduate who had to pivot his way through the pandemic after his first business venture Natural Source, a healthy snack program for offices, became obsolete overnight.
Having a background in Mechanical Engineering, he launched Sharewares through Synergy Foundation's Project Zero Incubator program; a program dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs in the circular economy.
Since then, Sharwares has partnered with the Vancouver Park Board, Tim Hortons, BEC and other local cafes in and around the lower mainland.
The Sharewares App
While there are other reusable-sharing programs in Vancouver, what makes Sharewares unique is its scanning QR code system that links returned cups with the previous user.
After finishing their drink, customers need to scan the QR code on the cup to create a Sharewares account. Once customers have chosen a location to return their cup, they need to scan the QR on the return bin and drop the cup inside.
If customers aren't nearby any of the affiliate businesses, Sharewares lets you return cups to a depot or offer a home pick-up location through any of their grocer affiliates such as Jarr, WiseFill and Livlite.
From here, the cups go to specific "washlabs" that inspect, clean and scan the returned cups, so that your deposit can be returned to you via eTransfer.
To increase accessibility, customers that cannot afford or choose to not use a smartphone, can simply return the cup to any of their return facilities and receive a cash deposit instead.
