The UK’s first multi-brand returnable cup initiative has launched in Glasgow, aiming to reduce the 388 million disposable cups used annually in Scotland.

Costa Coffee, Caffè Nero, Burger King UK, and several independent cafés, including Tinderbox, Sprigg, Kelvingrove Museum and Glasgow City Chambers, have joined the “Borrow Cup” scheme, led by environmental charity Hubbub and reuse start-up Reposit. The project will run for three months initially, with plans to expand nationwide if successful.

Customers can opt for a reusable cup by paying a £1 deposit, with most outlets offering discounts or loyalty rewards. Cups are available in three sizes and can be returned at any participating venue for a refund, a clean replacement or a £1 voucher.

The project is funded by participating brands, such as Costa Coffee, Caffè Nero and Burger King UK, alongside contributions from Ecosurety, Bunzl, the British Plastics Federation and KFC. Industry partners have also supported the project, with Berry supplying the cups, Electrolux providing washing equipment, Avery Dennison offering RFID scanning technology and additional support from Keep Scotland Beautiful and Biffa.

According to WRAP, over three billion disposable cups are used annually in the UK. Hubbub’s research highlights that while nearly three-quarters of UK residents own a reusable cup, only a third use it regularly. Borrow Cup aims to make reusable options more accessible and convenient by creating a dense network of return points across Glasgow.

The company said that returnable cup initiatives have often struggled due to small-scale trials, complex user experiences and a lack of data-driven tracking. Borrow Cup aims to overcome these challenges by creating a large-scale collaboration between major brands and local cafés. The initiative offers a high density of return points in the city’s busiest areas, a simple user journey without apps or sign-ups and robust tracking to assess environmental and financial viability.

Gavin Ellis, co-founder at Hubbub, said: “Despite most people owning a reusable cup, they are generally left at home so it’s crucial we consider other ways to make reuse more accessible. We’ve taken learnings from other trials and created a pioneering shared system that makes it really simple for people to choose a reusable cup at point of sale.

"Disposable cups make up 30% of the drinks waste in Glasgow’s on-street bins so we are delighted to partner with over 50 locations including some major brands and hope this trial will shift habits and help to make reusable cups the norm. We want to demonstrate how a collaborative model can improve the success of returnable cups, and understand how it can become environmentally, commercially and operationally viable. If successful, we are optimistic that this approach can be rolled out further across the UK.”

Acting cabinet secretary for net zero and energy at The Scottish Government, Gillian Martin, added: “Single-use cups create over 5,400 tonnes of waste in Scotland every year and initiatives like Borrow Cup are vital for driving change and reducing waste.

“By encouraging the use of returnable and reusable cups, this project demonstrates the power of collaboration between major brands, independent businesses and innovative organisations like Hubbub and Reposit. While we continue to investigate waste reduction policies, including analysing consultation responses on proposals for a minimum charge on single-use beverage cups, voluntary efforts such as this play a critical role in reducing waste, protecting our environment and supporting Scotland’s journey toward a circular economy.”

Hubbub is collaborating with Carbon Bright to evaluate the environmental impact of Borrow Cup and plans to expand the initiative if the initial three-month trial proves successful.