On 22nd February, Compass Cymru in partnership with Levy UK + Ireland and Notpla will complete a multi-stadium rollout of sustainable food packaging across Wales when thousands of fans fill Cardiff’s Principality Stadium for the country’s first home international rugby match of the year.
Food packaging at the stadium will be made from seaweed rather than plastic as part of the initiative which has been led by Compass Cymru to replace over 750,000 single-use plastic packaging items across three iconic stadiums.
Across the three venues, it’s expected that the switch will avoid 1.4 metric tonnes of plastic and create a 14.2 tonne CO₂e reduction annually. Led by Compass Cymru in partnership with Levy, the rollout also extends to Cardiff City Stadium and Swansea.com Stadium where single-use, plastic-lined food containers are being replaced with natural alternatives.
The rollout also aligns with Wales’ reputation as a leader in environmental policy and waste reduction, setting the pace for sustainability in stadium catering.
Scaling impact across multiple venues
Across the three three stadiums, the switch to Notpla packaging is expected to:
- Prevent 1.4 tonnes of plastic waste per year from being created and entering the waste stream.
- Reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 14.2 tonnes CO₂e annually, supporting Wales’ net-zero ambitions; and
- Provide fans with a truly sustainable packaging solution that breaks down naturally, unlike many compostable alternatives that require industrial processing.
“We need businesses to play their part if we are to achieve Wales’s sustainability goals. I am pleased to see Wales’s largest sports venues lead the way in eliminating plastic in stadium food service, which shows it is both scalable and commercially viable,” says Derek Walker, Future Generations Commissioner for Wales
We need businesses to play their part if we are to achieve Wales’s sustainability goals.
A natural next step for Wales’ sustainability leadership
Wales has long been recognised as a pioneer in sustainability: from introducing the world’s first Well-being of Future Generations Act, to being second in the world in recycling. Combined with the power of forward-thinking organisations like Compass Cymru and Levy, this is a demonstration of how plastic-free foodservice is achievable at scale. Given Wales’ history of environmental leadership, stronger policy action in this space could be a natural progression.
Jane Byrd, Compass Cymru managing director, tells FM Magazine: “At Compass Cymru and Levy we are passionate about sustainability and have been working with the Principality Stadium, Cardiff City Stadium, and Swansea.com Stadium to reduce single-use plastic waste.
“By rolling out Notpla packaging across these three iconic stadiums, we’re not just reducing plastic and carbon emissions – we’re proving to others that better solutions exist today and setting a new standard for what’s possible in event catering.”
Why Notpla’s packaging solutions are different
Certified as PFAS-free with no unhealthy “forever chemicals”, Notpla has helped foodservice operations replace plastic at scale. Unlike existing plastic or bioplastic packaging which often contains hidden chemicals or requires energy-intensive industrial composting, the company’s packaging range is made using seaweed – making it renewable, regenerative, naturally biodegradable and home-compostable (it breaks down just like a fruit peel, with no need for industrial composting facilities).
[W]e’re demonstrating that eliminating plastic in stadium foodservice is both scalable and commercially viable. We can’t wait to see this example inspiring further action across the UK and beyond.”
Water and grease-resistant – packaging from the manufacturer performs as well as plastic-lined containers but without the environmental cost.
Notpla co-founder and co-CEO, Pierre Paslier, says: “When businesses, venues, and policymakers come together, we can drive real impact. By working with Compass Cymru and Levy UK + Ireland, we’re demonstrating that eliminating plastic in stadium foodservice is both scalable and commercially viable. We can’t wait to see this example inspiring further action across the UK and beyond.”
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