20,000 Items Recovered: Bakers Basco Highlights Ongoing Equipment Losses and Environmental Impact During 2025 Outdoor Events Season
London, UK – May 2026 – Bakers Basco is urging festival organisers, caterers and event suppliers to take greater responsibility for reusable equipment, after recovering more than 20,000 items during the 2025 outdoor events season.
Bakers Basco is a not-for-profit organisation set up by leading UK bakeries to manage a shared pool of reusable bread baskets and dollies. Designed for longevity, these items are used repeatedly to transport bread from bakeries to retailers as part of a circular system.
However, every summer, thousands of these items go missing during the busy outdoor events season. They are often taken off-site, misused by traders or caterers, or incorrectly repurposed for storage and display. In many cases, items are ultimately discarded and sent to landfill – undermining the very sustainability benefits they were designed to deliver.
The latest figures show that 18,438 baskets and 1,690 dollies were recovered from event-related locations over the past year. The majority were traced to markets and wholesale markets (8,700) and caterers (4,300), with additional recoveries from major events including Glastonbury (687 items) and horse racing events (412).
“Each of these baskets and dollies is built to last for years and complete hundreds of trips within the supply chain,” said Stacey Brown, national investigations manager at Bakers Basco. “When they’re taken out of circulation or, worse, sent to landfill, it creates unnecessary waste and forces the production of replacement equipment. That has a direct environmental and financial cost.”
Despite ongoing awareness campaigns , Bakers Basco says the issue persists year after year, particularly during peak event season when demand for temporary equipment increases.
The organisation continues to offer free collection of its equipment and is calling on the entire events supply chain, from organisers to suppliers and traders, to remain vigilant and report misuse.
“These items are not disposable and they’re not designed for general use,” Stacey added. “They play a vital role in a circular economy and keeping them in that system is key to reducing waste. Greater awareness and accountability will help ensure they are reused as intended, rather than lost or discarded.”
With over 578 items also recovered from other outdoor events, Bakers Basco is encouraging the industry to act now to prevent further losses as the 2026 events season gets underway.
For immediate recovery, please contact:
📧 enquiries@bakersbasco.co.uk
📞 08000 327323
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Author: Beth Hancock
Beth Hancock is a Media and Events Sales Consultant at Event Industry News where she helps event industry brands amplify their presence through targeted advertising, marketing, and media opportunities. Passionate about connecting suppliers, venues, and innovators with organisers and decision-makers across the global events sector
