LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – Costa Coffee announced the nationwide roll out of its in-store recycling scheme this week to over 2,000 UK stores.  The ‘any cup’ scheme will encourage customers to leave or return all takeaway coffee cups – including those of competitor brands – to Costa stores for collection and transportation to specialist recycling facilities.  The scheme will be run in partnership with waste removal company Veolia.
 
Costa stated the scheme has the potential to recycle 30 million coffee cups per year and with its promise to ‘recycle any paper takeaway cup, no matter what brand’ this figure could significantly increase.
 
The recycling scheme roll out followed a successful trial across 45 Costa stores in Manchester and London in 2016.  The trial launched in response to increasing concerns from the public and the media over the number of takeaway cups sent to landfill.
 
‘We are committed to taking a lead and, like many others, we are working hard to find a cup that can be recycled anywhere’ said Jason Cotta, Managing Director of Costa UK&I. ‘Whilst there is more work to do in partnership with the wider industry, we are excited to see the impact our new in-store recycling offer will have and hope it is embraced by everyone – by our customers and by those who buy their coffee elsewhere.’
 
In addition to the launch, Costa also offer a 25p discount to customers using a reusable cup and have committed to ‘launch a number of new recycling initiatives in the first quarter of 2017.’  The company is conducting independent research with Sheffield University to further investigate and improve cup recyclability.  The results from this research will be shared Q1/Q2 2017.  
 
‘It is very encouraging to see the large players in the coffee shop market taking the ‘sustainable agenda’ seriously’ says Jeffrey Young, Allegra Group MD.  ‘Despite the complexity of recovery and recycling of paper cups, this is a key step in the right direction that will have further positive impact on the broader market’.