McDonald's Brazil has announced that drive-thru diners will be able to pay for their meals using their highway toll passes. The implementation of contactless tech reflects how banking in Brazil has evolved rapidly over the past few years, as Brazilians start favouring the tech's seamlessness.

The Big Issue magazine is trialling contactless payments with its UK street vendors as the move towards a cashless society continues. Big Issue sellers say that with fewer people carrying cash any more, it needs to take device and card payments to prevent their sales dropping.

As more people grow aware of the fact that 12.7 million tons worth of plastic is thrown into the oceans each year, many are trying to limit their personal waste. And while it can be hard to know where to start, the grocery aisle is first port of call for those looking to do their bit. British supermarket chain Iceland has pledged to cut down on plastic in its food packaging, Dutch chain Ekoplaza has an entirely biodegradable branch, and specialist stores Charlotte’s Cupboard and Clean Kilo are packaging-free, selling refills of items such as rice, dried fruit, chocolate, and coffee by the gram.

Plastic is getting a lot of airtime right now: suddenly, what was once an invisible problem is at the front of people’s minds. Consumers are primed for change, so how can brands take the first by creating alternatives, educating customers and helping them form new habits?