£1 deposit cup scheme launches across 40 Glasgow locations
Major coffee chains and independent cafes join cross-brand initiative, Borrow Cup, aiming to reduce 388 million annual disposable cups through offering a reusable alternative.
Borrow Cup, a returnable cup scheme led by environmental charity Hubbub and reuse start-up Reposit, has begun a three-month trial in Glasgow.
Customers are encouraged to get their drinks in a Borrow Cup, which are available in three different sizes, for a £1 deposit. The cup can then be reused in any of the partner locations, swapped from a clean cup, returned to get the deposit back, or dropped off at a return point for a £1 e-voucher.
Rewards and discounts will also be given to participating customers, including an extra stamp for using a reusable cup at Caffè Nero, and 10 per cent off your drink at two of Sprigg’s local cafes.
The scheme has been adopted in over 40 locations, by brands including Costa Coffee, Caffè Nero, Burger King, Tinderbox, Sprigg, Kevingrove Museum, Glasgow City Chambers, and Plant Blonde.
Gavin Ellis, co-founder of Hubbub, commented: “We know disposable cup waste is an issue Scotland is keen to tackle so we are delighted to launch the UK’s first cross-brand returnable cup initiative here in Glasgow.
“By making it easy and convenient for people to choose reusable cups, we hope Borrow Cup will shift habits and help to make reusable cups the norm.”
Stuart Chidley, co-founder of Reposit, added: “As a local business we are delighted to be enabling local people, local and national businesses to make a simple switch from single-use to returnable cups.”
According to Zero Waste Scotland, over 388 million disposable cups are used each year. Hubbub’s own research shows that while three quarters of people own a reusable cup, only a third use one at least once a month.
Hubbub and Reposit will be working alongside software company Carbon Bright to determine how the scheme can become environmentally and financially viable on a larger scale, using cup tracking, reporting data, and independent lifecycle analysis to measure uptake, returns, and environmental impact.
The project has been funded by the participating brands, Costa Coffee, Caffè Nero and Burger King, as well as Ecosurety, Bunzl, British Plastics Federation and KFC.
Industry partners have also supported the project, with cups provided by Berry, washing equipment provided by Electrolux, RFID scanning technology from Avery Dennison and project support from Keep Scotland Beautiful and Biffa.
In August 2024, the Scottish Government launched a consultation on a 25p single-use cup charge as part of Scotland’s Circular Economy Bill.
A mandatory takeback scheme for single-use cups was scrapped by the UK Government in December 2024, citing high costs and limited environmental benefits.