Around 200 million single use cups are used and discarded in Scotland every year, and a new scheme has been launched in an effort to reduce this waste.

Cup Movement has been launched by environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful. The scheme has been developed in partnership with local businesses that sell takeaway drinks in the area around the NC500 route. The scheme uses innovative App technology from cup system suppliers Vytal. Now 25 businesses have signed up to trial the scheme, running until Autumn 2023, with the aim to make it easy for people to make the switch from single-use cups to reusable ones for their takeaway drinks.

A recent survey highlighted that 90% of people in the Highlands are concerned about the environmental impact of takeaway cups being littered. It is hoped that the Cup Movement scheme will reduce the levels of litter in areas where it is launched.

Catherine Gee, Deputy CEO of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said:

“While the convenience of single use cups often wins over reusable options, they come at a cost, to our environment, and also for those businesses using them to sell their hot and cold drinks in. Single use cups are a classic example of the throwaway culture that we want to help change. Millions of single use cups are wasted every year, and we want to make reuse the norm.

“Our planned trial of a reusable cup scheme in collaboration with NorthCoast 500, Zero Waste Scotland and Highland Good Food Partnership builds on the learning from our innovative Cup Movement® in Glasgow. I’d urge everyone to download the Vytal App and get drinking guilt free coffee.”