Changing consumption patterns and adopting sustainable behaviour at a large scale will take multidimensional efforts. Some brands have already started to consider new ways of engaging consumers for the better. The 2nd AIM awards have seen two carefully co-created nudges for more sustainable consumer behaviour win. The international jury chaired by Cass Sunstein awarded P&Gs Pampers Netherlands for its parent engagement programme in diapers recycling and Nestlé Spain for Nutriplato, an initiative involving parents & children in a conversation on healthy nutrition.

The issue with diapers
According to the Amsterdam Economic Board each year in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area, people throw away a total of 57,100 metric tons of baby nappies and incontinence pads, in equal proportions. Only 1% of the total is collected and processed for composting, and the rest is incinerated. But material from nappies and incontinence pads is actually recyclable, but there is no solution to collect disposable diapers for recycling.

The nudge
FaterSmart, a joint venture of P&G and Angelini in Italy, developed a unique diaper recycling technology that shall be expanded to other countries. In the pilot 12 smart bins had been installed in three neighbourhoods of Amsterdam and  a recycling app was launched that gives consumers access to the programme. Smart bins are now placed in high frequency areas (e.g. in front of a drug store) and day care centres to better target parents. They can participate by downloading the app, locating a bin closest to them and generate a unique code to unlock the bins and deposit their diapers. To encourage the desired behaviour and to keep parents engaged in the programme, they are rewarded. They can see their contribution to the environment via a tangible impact page (your recycled diapers are equivalent of X chairs, X papers, etc.) and via milestones and thank you cards (e.g. you came 4th time, it is a habit). They can also get a discount for their next Pampers diaper purchase after having dropped diapers for four times.

The issue with obesity
Recent studies show that Spanish population has moved away from the Mediterranean diet and has adopted sedentary habits, increasing overweight and obesity of children: At present, 23,2% of Spanish children are overweight and 18,1% are obese. Only 54% of parents offer the right amount of vegetables to their children and just 17% give them the recommended quantity of fruit.

The nudge
In collaboration with the Paediatrician Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Nestlé Spain has launched „Nutriplato“, an initiative based on the Harvard’s Healthy Eating Plate. In a playful and educational way parents and children are nudged into a conversation on nutrients and health, with the goal of improving eating habits of children aged 3-12 years old and to promote the practice of the Mediterranean diet and its healthy proportion of vegetables, proteins and carbohydrates to include in  childrens’ main meals.