Scotland considers disposable coffee cup surcharge

Scotland is considering applying a 20 to 25p (about 25 to 30 US cents) surcharge on disposable coffee cups to help cut down on the estimated 200 million used in the country every year. The levy is one of several recommendations the Expert Panel on Environmental Charging and Other Measures (EPECOM) put forward to the Scottish Government to encourage greater use of reusable alternatives. The panel also advises that promoting cultural and behavioural change is critical and will underpin the success of implementing any of the other measures recommended. Read more:
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• Keurig, Starbucks, McDonald’s join WWF to combat global plastic pollution “Over the first year, the panel has focused its attentions on single-use disposable beverage cups. We have discovered that there are many complex issues to tackle and a myriad of factors that must be considered. We have asked questions about what we can do together in Scotland – as consumers, communities, producers, retailers and government – to radically change our attitudes and our use of single-use items,” EPECOM Chair Dame Sue Bruce says. “Our conclusion is that there needs to be a fundamental move away from single-use disposable beverage cups and not just to an improved model for recycling. We have recommended a range of measures to achieve this – including charging separately for disposable cups and developing pilots to promote reusable cups.” Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham welcomes the report, calling disposable cups an obvious littering issue. She adds there is growing awareness within Scotland of the impact single-use plastic has the wider environment. “The scale of the issue is also clear – as is the expert panel’s conclusion that no one measure alone will be effective: our approach to reducing single-cup use must involve a joined-up effort across government, business, communities and individuals,” Cunningham says. “I am grateful to the expert panel for their thorough, evidence-based assessment of measures to reduce the consumption of single-use cups in Scotland. I will be giving the report’s findings my full consideration and will respond to the panel’s recommendations in due course.” EPECOM’s Recommendations on Single-use Disposable Beverage Cups report can be viewed here. Follow Global Coffee Report on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter for up-to-date news and analysis of the global coffee industry.