· By Jack Charewicz
Optus Stadium’s Move to Full Reuse: A Turning Point for Australian Venues
This year marks a major milestone for sustainability in Australian sport and live events. One of the country’s most iconic venues, Optus Stadium, is making the shift to a fully reusable system for food and beverage service.
It’s a bold move. It’s not easy. And it matters more than most people realise.
At Revibes, we believe this moment represents far more than a single stadium changing how drinks are served. It signals a cultural and operational shift that could redefine how venues across Australia think about waste, responsibility, and the future of live experiences.
While this particular transition isn’t being delivered by us, we fully support it — because progress at this scale lifts the entire industry.
Why Stadiums Matter in the Reuse Conversation
Stadiums are uniquely powerful drivers of change.
They host tens of thousands of people at a time.
They influence consumer behaviour in highly visible, shared environments.
They set benchmarks that ripple through festivals, arenas, airports, and entertainment precincts nationwide.
When a major stadium commits to reuse at scale, it does more than reduce waste within its own walls. It demonstrates that reuse is not only possible, but practical, efficient, and commercially viable — even in high-pressure, high-volume environments.
For years, one of the most common objections to reuse has been scale.
“Reuse works for small events — but not for stadiums.”
“It’s too complex.”
“It’s too expensive.”
“It will slow down service.”
Those excuses no longer hold. From “Nice Idea” to Operational Reality
What makes this shift so significant is that it’s not a pilot. It’s not a trial tucked away in one section of a venue. It’s a full operational commitment.
That means logistics.
That means cleaning infrastructure.
That means staff training, return pathways, back-of-house systems, and contingency planning.
In other words: real work.
And that’s exactly why this moment matters.
When reuse is treated as a core operational system — rather than a marketing initiative — it becomes embedded, repeatable, and scalable. It stops being an “alternative” and starts becoming the standard.
This is how change actually happens.
Behaviour Change Happens Where People Least Expect It
One of the most powerful aspects of stadium reuse is behavioural.
At a live game or concert, people are not there to “do the right thing.” They’re there to enjoy the moment. To cheer. To celebrate. To connect.
When reuse works in these environments, it works because it’s intuitive.
No lectures.
No guilt.
No friction.
You grab a drink.
You enjoy it.
You return the cup.
That’s it.
When tens of thousands of people experience this flow — often without even thinking about it — it quietly rewires expectations. Suddenly, throwing a cup in the bin feels outdated. Returning it feels normal.
And that normalisation doesn’t stay in the stadium.
It travels home.
It travels to other venues.
It travels into conversations, purchasing decisions, and expectations of brands.
The Domino Effect Across Australian Venues, In our experience, venues watch each other closely.
When one major stadium proves something can be done — especially without disrupting operations or increasing costs — others take notice.
Councils ask questions.
Venue operators reassess assumptions.
Procurement teams revisit long-standing contracts.
What starts as one decision becomes a reference point.
We genuinely believe this move will accelerate adoption across stadiums nationwide. Not because it’s trendy, but because it’s practical — and because the pressure to act is only increasing.
Government targets, waste levies, rising landfill costs, and public scrutiny are all converging. Reuse is no longer a “future goal.” It’s a present-day solution.
Sustainability Without the Trade-Offs
For reuse to succeed long-term, it has to meet three non-negotiables:
- It must not slow service
- It must not increase costs
- It must not compromise the fan experience
When those conditions are met, sustainability stops being a trade-off. It becomes an upgrade.
This is the lesson stadiums across the country are now learning: reuse doesn’t have to mean inconvenience. In fact, when designed properly, it often improves cleanliness, consistency, and brand presentation.
The technology, infrastructure, and operational know-how now exist. The question is no longer can it be done? — but who’s ready to lead?
Collaboration Over Competition
At Revibes, our mission has never been about being the only solution in the room.
Our goal is to see reuse become the default across Australia — in stadiums, festivals, venues, airlines, and everyday life. That future doesn’t belong to one company. It belongs to an ecosystem of operators, venues, suppliers, and communities moving in the same direction.
When a major venue commits to reuse, we celebrate it — regardless of who’s delivering it — because every successful implementation strengthens confidence in the model as a whole.
Progress at this scale benefits everyone.
What Comes Next
This is not the finish line. It’s the starting gun.
As more stadiums follow suit, we’ll see:
- Higher return rates through better education and design
- Smarter logistics and washing efficiencies
- Greater standardisation across venues
- Increased pressure on single-use alternatives
- Clearer pathways for national adoption
Most importantly, we’ll see a shift in mindset — from managing waste to eliminating it altogether.
That’s the future we’re building toward.
A Defining Year for Reuse
Years from now, we believe this moment will be looked back on as a turning point. The year reuse stopped being “experimental” and started becoming expected.
To the venues watching closely: this is proof that change is possible.
To the fans experiencing it: thank you for being part of the solution.
To the industry as a whole: this is what leadership looks like.
At Revibes, we’re excited for what this means — not just for one stadium, but for the future of live events across Australia.
Reuse isn’t coming.
It’s here.
And it’s only just getting started.