‘Charge for coffee cups, save 300m’

CHARGING coffee lovers for a disposable cup could cut their use by up to 300 million a year, new research suggests.

An estimated 2.5 billion disposable coffee cups are used in the UK each year, creating approximately 25,000 tonnes of waste.

Academics at Cardiff University tested a series of measures to encourage the use of re-usable cups.

The research found that financial incentives, re-usable alternatives, and clear messaging reminding customers of the environmental impact of single use coffee cups all had a direct impact on consumer behaviour.