Manchester, UK – 28 August – Co-op Live and Billie Eilish have redefined what sustainable live entertainment can look like, delivering transformational emissions savings during four sold-out nights of Eilish’s HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR. The pioneering initiative - centred on a fully plant-based menu - has set a new industry benchmark, paving the way for future venues around the world to emulate the model.
By switching to a 100% plant-based menu, the arena slashed food-related emissions by 47% - saving the equivalent of 45 flights from Manchester to Dublin - and conserved 3.5 million litres of water, enough to run 70,000 washing machine cycles, as showcased in GOAL (Green Operations & Advanced Leadership)’s latest Case study. Fans embraced the change, with signature menu items seeing a 13% sales boost compared to standard shows, with plant-based fan favourite items reducing emissions by 65%.
This groundbreaking initiative is part of Co-op Live’s bold mission to become the most sustainable arena experience in the world. From running entirely on renewable energy and harvesting rainwater, to a zero-waste-direct-to-landfill commitment, the venue is embedding climate-conscious thinking into every aspect of its operations. The arena’s leadership is recognized by GOAL’s annual Medals and will soon announce this year’s accolades to build upon last year’s 7 Gold, 10 Silver, and 14 Bronze GOAL Medals. Additionally, the arena was recently recognised as A Greener Arena by A Greener Future; its highly commended status marking Co-op Live as one of the most sustainable arenas globally.
The four-night residency also served as a springboard for industry-wide collaboration. In partnership with GOAL, Co-op Live hosted a portion of a two-day Sustainability Leaders’ Forum, convening some of the most influential figures in eco-conscious live entertainment. Among them was leading climate activist and support + feedfounder Maggie Baird, who is also mother to Billie Eilish and FINNEAS, and Stephan Jacob, Co-Founder of Cotopaxi, who joined peers to explore practical, scalable ways to accelerate climate action across the global events sector.
Guy Dunstan, General Manager at Co-op Live, commented, “going 100% plant based for Billie Eilish for all 4 nights of her shows at Co-op Live was an exciting undertaking for the venue. It enabled us to explore new ways to service concessions, and the take up demonstrated it was a big hit with her fan base.”
Kristen Fulmer, Executive Director at GOAL, said “we love to host events in buildings that walk the talk. This event, thanks to Co-op Live, was the perfect balance of inspirational, motivational, and fun!”
Sara Tomkins, Sustainability & Community Director at Co-op Live, commented, “we are proud to deliver impact within the walls of our arena and outside of them. While we attract world leading talent and global fans, we believe that we must always give back locally and protect the planet. The Billie Eilish shows demonstrated the impact of local grown produce and plant-based options resulting in a planet positive outcome.”
Co-op Live is a net zero building and is supporting Manchester City Council’s goal of being net zero by 2038 and has recently been ‘Highly Commended’ by A Greener Future’s independent accreditation. For a full list of events at Co-op Live visit cooplive.com,