We’ve always put sustainability at the heart of our plans for Manchester’s Christmas Markets. It's part of our plan to become zero carbon by 2038.
Local traders
More than 80% of our food and drink traders come from the North of England. Most are from Manchester and Greater Manchester. Others are from Lancashire, Yorkshire and Cumbria. We're also proud to offer global flavours from a small number of European traders.
No single-use plastics
We haven't used single-use plastic cups since 2018. Over the past decade, our reusable cup scheme has saved millions of disposable cups from going to landfill.
All our 'glasses' are reusable. A deposit scheme means you get your money back when you return your glass. Last year, we started using a new type of drinks glass that has half the environmental impact. We use them at other events during the year – saving even more plastic.
This year, we have new donation bins for drinks glasses. If you don’t want to wait for your deposit, put your glass in the donation bin. We'll donate the deposit to the homelessness charity, Real Change MCR.
Our iconic Christmas mugs for hot drinks are also reusable. They’re sourced by sea freight, not air freight, to lower emissions. The mugs also have a deposit. You can return them for a refund or keep them to use at home.
You won't be able to buy water in plastic bottles at the Christmas Markets, but there are lots of places in the city where you can get a water refill for free. Use the Refill app to find the nearest businesses offering free water refills. There are more than eighty in the city centre!
We’re working to make avoidable single-use plastics a thing of the past. Find out about our work to remove them from our buildings and events.
Sustainable power
Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) powers our generators. This fossil-free fuel provides power across the markets. It can save up to 90% of greenhouse gas emissions compared to standard diesel.
We use mains power from renewable sources where we can. For example, our accessible changing facility has a solar panel and rechargeable battery.
Recycling
We have an extensive recycling programme. For example, we collect cooking oil from our food vendors. This is turned into biodiesel to power vehicles.
Our chalets and decorations
We source sustainable wood for our chalets via the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
Our decorations are low energy, reusable and safe for the environment. We have biodegradable lights, and the illuminated motifs are made of sugar cane.
Want to know more about our goal to be zero carbon? Check our progress, find case studies and info on how to get involved at www.manchester.gov.uk/zero-carbon.