Groundbreaking reusable nappy scheme

Parents throw away three billion nappies a year in the UK, costing local authorities over £60 million per anum in disposable costs¹. By supporting parents to switch from single-use to reusable nappies, councils can reduce expenditure and help protect the environment, and parents could save hundreds of pounds by making the eco-friendly switch.

Eco-friendly nappy providers, The Nappy Gurus, are pleased to announce that they will be involved in a new groundbreaking scheme initiated by Herefordshire Council, which aims to encourage parents to move away from single-use nappies².

The new scheme, which came into action on the 28th March 2022, will alleviate the upfront cost associated with reusable nappies by providing parents in the district with a £200 voucher to spend on reusable nappies to get them started on their eco-journey. This is the most generous scheme provided by any UK council to date, and The Nappy Gurus will be one of the brands available to purchase with the voucher.

Delving into the potential savings of eco-parenting, cloth nappy users could spend less than £300 over the course of their childs infancy, whereas a disposable nappy user is likely to spend £900 during the same period. Therefore, parents willing to make the switch to reusables could save up to £600 per child, and with the recent news on the rise in cost of living, this is a substantial saving that could make a considerable difference to those in the Herefordshire area.

With many parents willing to reduce their household waste generation and hoping to reduce their monthly outgoings, reusable nappies are a good option to ease both. Reusable nappies generate zero waste and can be used repeatedly, meaning disposable items can be avoided altogether.

Laura Davies, founder of The Nappy Gurus, comments on the new scheme: “With 70% of parents hesitant to switch from disposables to reusables, it’s great to see Herefordshire Council intervening to hopefully make it more viable for parents to make this switch from a monetary perspective. On top of this, parents will be contributing to a greener future for the UK.”

Disposable nappies are single-use plastic products that are thrown away once unclean. The average daily consumption of disposable nappies is equivalent to throwing away seven plastic carrier bags per day, per person³. So if parents switched to a greener alternative, they would reduce their carbon footprint tremendously.

If parents can help reduce the country’s reliance on disposable nappies, this will support the government's objective of eliminating all avoidable waste by 2050 and all avoidable plastic waste by the end of 2042⁴.

Laura Davies adds: “We are so happy to be one of the brands available to buy with the new voucher scheme launched by Herefordshire Council. There are so many parents across the UK willing to become more eco-friendly, but often, the worry of the upfront costs of reusable products can be off-putting.

“Although parents could save up to £600 per child using reusable nappies, making them worth the upfront cost in the long run, having a £200 voucher available to transition from disposables to reusables will undoubtedly benefit parents in the Herefordshire area.

“Following the recent news on the rise in cost of living and little intervention from the government, taking advantage of this new reusable nappy scheme by Herefordshire Council would be a great option for any new and existing parents in the district looking to save on their parental costs.

“We hope more councils across the UK implement reusable nappy incentive schemes and consider the willingness of parents to become more eco-friendly.”