TOMRA Reuse scores a goal
Intility Arena goes circular with full-scale stadium system for reusable cups
Following an initial pilot last season, Vålerenga football club in Oslo has since May expanded its TOMRA Reuse reusable cup system to the full Intility Arena stadium.
All kiosks located within the main tribunes of the stadium are now serving cold drinks in reusable cups that can be returned by fans at any one of the 13 automated “Throw&Go” collection points strategically placed near exists and kiosks.
“Intility Arena is the home of one of Oslo’s major football clubs and a landmark arena. We’re very proud to partner with the club and demonstrate the scalability and efficiency of our Throw&Go solution,” says Louise Petri, segment lead for Throw&Go at TOMRA Reuse.
"We are delighted to see how positively this solution has been received by our supporters. As Sustainability lead, I believe that football clubs have a unique opportunity to contribute to the green transition by adopting smarter and more responsible solutions. This initiative demonstrates how innovation can enhance stadium security and the fan experience while helping us reduce our environmental footprint and move towards a more sustainable future for sport," says Thomas Kolstad, Sustainability Lead, Vålerenga Fotball AS.
Super easy for the kiosk staff and the guests
The system, based on reusable cups with RFID, runs seamlessly behind scenes:
- Guests order and pay for their drinks in the kiosks
- Upon purchase a cup deposit of 10 NOK is activated when placing the cup on a TOMRA Reuse bar plate and thereby linked to the guests’ payment card
- After enjoying their drink fans simply throw their empty cup into one of the collection points. When inserted into the machine, the cup is identified and the deposit value is automatically refunded to the associated bank card. Cups can also be returned in stacks, and the deposit on each cup in the stack will be refunded to the respective bank cards associated with each cup.
“At Intility Arena we have demonstrated that sustainability and stadium safety do not need to be conflicting priorities. Through careful planning, clear operational procedures and extensive testing, we have successfully implemented a reusable cup system while maintaining the safety standards required at professional football matches.
Our experience suggests that innovative circular solutions can contribute positively to both fan experience and venue operations, while significantly reducing waste. We believe this is an area with great potential for major sporting events, both today and in the future,” says Ronnie Bergheim, Head of Security, Vålerenga Fotball Elite AS.
“Royal blue on the outside, but green on the inside. Vålerenga, TOMRA and Coca-Cola are working together with a shared focus on sustainability and social responsibility at Intility. What is a natural part of the experience at the stadium now becomes more sustainable when the cup you buy your drink in — whether hot or cold — can be returned and you get the deposit back into your account. A win-win for you and the environment. Coca-Cola, TOMRA and Vålerenga Football are thus working together for great customer experiences and a more sustainable stadium,” says Baard Tveito, Senior Manager Commercial Sustainability, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners.
Want to make an additional impact? Donate the deposit.
The club offers football fans the opportunity to donate the cup deposit by providing dedicated manual drop-off bins. The deposits donated help support the football club’s local youth and social activities. During the pilot phase last season, more than 30% of returned cups were donated to the club.
