Costa to offer water refills in anti-plastic plan

WATER fountains are set to be installed in Costa Coffee shops across the country as the chain becomes the first to sign up to a governmentbacked anti-plastic scheme.

Whitbread, Costa’s owner, which also owns Premier Inn and Beefeater pubs, has led the way in committing to a water industry “refill” scheme to reduce plastic waste.

Under the plan that was started by the trade body representing water and sewage companies in the UK and included in the Government’s plastic waste reduction programme, high street retailers, coffee shops, businesses and local authorities will offer new refill stations for the public to top-up their water bottles for free in every major city and town in England by 2021.

Whitbread plc has pledged today to offer free drinking water for customers and passers-by in each of its 3,000 Costa Coffee and Premier Inn locations from March 2018. At present, cafes and restaurants are within their rights to refuse to offer passers-by drinking water, although they must accept paying customers’ request for drinking water.

Launching the new scheme, Michael Roberts, Water UK chief executive, said: “As an industry with a strong focus on the environment we are passionate about tackling the problems caused by plastic bottles, which clog up rivers and drains, and pollute our seas.

“By refilling water bottles, we can all help turn this harmful tide of plastic waste. This country has some of the best drinking water in the world and we want everyone to benefit from it.

“This scheme will do that by making it easier to refill bottles wherever people work, rest, shop or play.”

Louise Edge, senior oceans campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said: “It’s encouraging to see this community initiative being supported.

“If everyone works together, we can make the changes we need fast enough to save our oceans.”