The city of Malmö in Sweden faced a persistent problem with littering. Over the years, they had invested in more trash cans, signage and fines, yet the problem continued to grow. The behaviour was largely driven by young people, particularly boys. The cost for the council had reached approximately 6 million EUR annually, making it a behavioural and economic challenge.

Littering is an irrational behaviour. People know it is wrong, yet still do it. Instead of addressing it rationally, we chose to respond in kind. The objective was to make littering socially unattractive by showing that people around you react negatively when you do it, and positively when you do not. We created trash cans that responded when used, expressing a desire to receive litter. By giving them a voice, the act of throwing something away became visible, social and harder to ignore.

The campaign generated strong reactions and spread widely, becoming a topic of discussion across both media and political debate. At the same time, it engaged a younger audience, who actively interacted with the installations. Disposal of everyday litter through bins increased by +398%, leading to cleaner streets and a shift in behaviour. Oh yes!