Waitrose will stop disposable drinks cups by autumn

Tuesday 10 April 2018

Waitrose has announced it will be removing all takeaway disposable coffee cups from its shops by autumn 2018, in a move that will save more than 52 million cups a year.

Beverages will still be available via their self-service machines, but customers will be asked to bring their own reusable cup rather than being offered a disposable coffee cup when they go through the checkout.

The supermarket chain will initially remove the cups in nine UK branches from 30 April to ensure to the full change over is as smooth as possible. After that, it will be rolled out across all stores - including Guernsey's - in a phased programme.

Customers will be informed before the change comes into effect in their local shop, but it is expected to occur across the country during the autumn. 

This is the next in a series of moves from supermarkets to become more eco-friendly. Waitrose itself recently pledged to not sell any own label food in black plastic beyond 2019 , and it has also committed to make all own-label packaging 'widely recyclable', reusable, or home compostable by 2025.  

“We realise this is a major change, but we believe removing all takeaway disposable cups is the right thing to do for our business and are confident the majority of customers will support the environmental benefits," Tor Harris, Head of Sustainability and Responsible Sourcing at Waitrose, said.

"It underlines our commitment to plastic and packaging reduction and our aim is to deliver this as quickly as possible.”

In the last 12 months there has been a push to get rid of the non-recyclable coffee cups from all take-out coffee stores across Guernsey and the UK.

As part of the announcement, myWaitrose members will no longer be able to claim their free hot drink in its 180 in-store cafes; this is to avoid customers without a reusable cup (and therefore unable to use the self serve machines) putting increased pressure on its hospitality areas. Instead, myWaitrose members who purchase a tea or coffee in a cafe will be offered a choice of food options to enjoy for free or with a generous discount. It added it was still offering the free hot drinks for its customers who brought their reusable cups with them.

Additionally, Waitrose has invested in training 800 "Food Service Partners" as baristas in its cafes.

These changes to its cafe service will also first be made from 30 April in eight of the same shops* where disposable cups will be initially removed before taking effect in all branches with hospitality areas from 23 May.