{"id":943012,"date":"2026-10-27T18:08:23","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T18:08:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/943012\/"},"modified":"2026-10-27T18:08:23","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T18:08:23","slug":"yo-chi-launches-free-retro-item-in-store-as-plastic-waste-issue-exposed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/943012\/","title":{"rendered":"Yo-Chi launches free retro item in store as plastic waste issue exposed"},"content":{"rendered":"

Starting this week, anyone walking into a Yo-Chi frozen yoghurt outlet<\/a> is encouraged to pick up a free postcard that, at first glance, appears to celebrate Australia as the world’s “second-best country”.<\/p>\n

But fans of this successful dessert chain won’t be surprised to learn there’s a hidden environmental message contained beneath the catchy headline in a retro-style font.<\/p>\n

The company’s co-owner Oliver Allis told Yahoo News that Australia is being called out as the second-best country when it comes to creating plastic waste.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Allis is hoping to give customers a “reality check” that we’re not the clean, green country most assume.<\/p>\n

“It’s quite a shocking stat to be honest \u2014 especially how Australians view themselves on a world scale,” he said.<\/p>\n

“I think most people would think that third-world countries would use a lot more plastic, but no, we’re number two after Singapore.”<\/p>\n

How the Yo-Chi postcards help reduce plastic waste<\/p>\n

Importantly, Allis isn’t just having a whinge. The postcards enable customers to take direct action to combat the problem.<\/p>\n

Every store has around 500 postcards. And each is pre-addressed to the federal MP for the area the store is located in and asks them to pledge to end voluntary plastic packaging schemes.<\/p>\n

\"Oliver<\/p>\n

Oliver Allis and Kal Glanzig have launched a plastic reduction campaign involving postcards. Source: Yo-Chi<\/p>\n

The Yo-Chi owners want to see manufacturers forced to pay for the end-of-life recycling or disposal of the plastic they create.<\/p>\n

At the moment, it is councils, and ultimately, ratepayers who pay for waste disposal services.<\/p>\n

And the current system isn’t really reducing plastic consumption. Australia has consistently missed goals set in its 2025 National Packaging Target.<\/p>\n

The change isn’t controversial, with major stakeholders, including Coles, Woolworths, and Soft Plastic Stewardship Australia (SPSA), wanting plastic recycling to be a shared responsibility across businesses.<\/a><\/p>\n

Expert argues plastic problem can be solved<\/p>\n

The campaign is part of a tie-in with the 73-minute documentary The Plastic Country, which was made by environmental campaigner and Sutherland Shire Councillor Kal Glanzig.<\/a><\/p>\n

The pair hatched their plan while surfing together in waters off the northern NSW coast.<\/p>\n

“We know how to solve this: make the companies producing the packaging responsible for it,” Glanzig said.<\/p>\n

“Our MPs just need to hear that Australians want that, and a postcard is a pretty simple and creative way to tell them.”<\/p>\n

Yo-Chi admits it isn’t ‘perfect’<\/p>\n

Allis admits Yo-Chi still has work to do improving its own waste management.<\/p>\n

“We are very aware that we’re not perfect\u2026 but every year we get better,” he said.<\/p>\n

Finding recycling for soft plastics created back-of-house is a challenge, because businesses can’t just drop off their waste at Woolworths stores like the supermarket’s customers can<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And the packaging used front-of-house is easy to compost in South Australia and Western Australia, but finding facilities in NSW, Victoria and Queensland remains a challenge.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/p>\n

Water is an area where he’s broken considerable ground.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Stores do not sell it in bottles, and instead provide taps with purified water, which customers or anyone walking by is encouraged to use.<\/p>\n

Customers who bring in one of the store’s reusable bowls, which were made in collaboration with KeepCup, also get a 10 per cent discount on purchases.<\/p>\n

You can also follow us on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, X<\/a> and YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n