Yo-Chi Fights Plastic: Customers Urge MPs to Act

Yo-Chi, Australia's largest frozen yogurt chain, is empowering its customers to advocate for environmental change through a nationwide postcard campaign. As of this week, all Yo-Chi stores are providing customers with free postcards to send to their local MPs, urging them to commit to a "pledge" against single-use plastic.

This initiative was inspired by the documentary "The Plastic Country," which details the pervasive issue of microplastics and toxic chemicals. Chief brand officer Oliver Allis seeks to leverage Yo-Chi's community to increase pressure on politicians, noting that Australians produce around 60 kilograms of single-use plastic per person annually, significantly above the global average.

The postcards encourage MPs to support a mandatory national scheme for plastic producers to fund collection and reduction, fast-track soft plastic recycling, and ban single-use plastics at public events and government facilities. This aligns with calls from major corporations and environmental groups for an extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme.

Currently, only a handful of MPs have publicly pledged support, primarily "teal" politicians and independents. Yo-Chi plans to mail postcards weekly, with staff reviewing them to ensure a positive and constructive message, encouraging customers to draw simple images and request support for plastic reforms.