Victory for Mail as Pret tackles plastic cup menace

PRET A Manger is to offer a 25p discount on its coffee if customers bring their own reusable cups.

The firm is the latest big chain to use a price cut to crack down on the blight and litter caused by throwaway cups, following the Daily Mail’s Curb The Cups campaign.

The cheaper charge – even for reusable cups carrying rival brand names – is to be rolled out to all of Pret’s 329 outlets, follow- ing a trial earlier this year. Major coffee shops are under pressure to cut the number of cups given out with a plastic coating making them difficult, if not impossible, to recycle with other paper. Only one in 400 of the 2.5billion handed out each year are recycled. The rest are buried in landfill or burned.

The Government has set up a working group to see what can be done to reduce litter caused by cups and plastic bottles.

environment Secretary Michael Gove has hinted support for the idea of a deposit and refund scheme on plastic bottles.

There are demands for a similar policy for cups after British researchers found a levy, similar to the 5p plastic bag fee, is more effective than discounts in getting people to switch to reusable ones. A number of chains have responded to the Daily Mail’s campaign and lobbying from anti-waste activist Hugh Fearnley-whittingstall.

Costa and Starbucks now offer a 25p discount to customers who bring their own cup. Both companies are also carrying out trials on new cups which can be recycled easily with other paper waste.

Pret’s Caroline Cromar said: ‘we have been really encouraged by the response to the trial, and as a result, are delighted to now be rolling the discount out to all Pret shops around the UK.’