Cheshire Cup – Our Reusable Returnable Coffee Cup Scheme

In 2019 10.8 million people took away a coffee from a coffee shop in the UK. We can’t keep creating this single use cup waste. Switching to a returnable cup eliminates billions of cups from landfill. We think Cheshire needs and deserves a reuse system that works.

A returnable is an item of food or drink packaging that is designed to be returned to a business for multiple re-use, eliminating the need for single-use packaging.

What is a Returnable Cup System?

After significant additional research and price increases from our original submission we are excited to be moving ahead with Circular & CO’s Returnable Cup. Designed to be returned and reused just like the milk bottles of old, a returnable cup means single-use paper cups are replaced by a much more sustainable option. Your local café will serve your take away beverage in a reusable cup which can be returned and commercially washed, ready for another serving.

The Circular & Co cup is made from recycled paper cups, designed to last at least 5 years and is 100% recyclable. The organisation are pioneering the Circular Design movement because it’s the sustainable solution to living within our planet’s limits; their mission is for everyone else to know it too.

I’m a Chester business how can I get involved?

We have linked with some of our existing Plastic Free Chester businesses in Chester to help us with the trial. We own the cups. Cafes & businesses become members of the circular cup scheme paying a monthly membership fee with the hope that this is less than the cost of single use cups, and much less waste.

If you want to trial the Cheshire Cup with us contact office@sustainablecheshire.uk

I’m an individual can I help with the trial?

We need as many Chester residents or anyone shopping in Chester to get involved in the trail and help us to take it wider in the region. The key to the scheme is that the cups are returned. These cups can be used more than 500 times so to make it work keeping them on the circular cup loop is key.

From research we’ve found the best way for this to work is for users to become members of our Cheshire Cup Club Scheme. Members pay £2.50 to Eco Communities to join the scheme. You use a token to swap for your take away drink in our Cheshire Cup. Drop the empty cup at any participating businesses to get a token in return. The business will wash the cup and put it back into circulation.

We have the following businesses signed up, more info on our map.

Bean & Cole, Cheshire Ice Cream Farm Chester Market, Crustum, Fika, Fish & Chips @ Weston Grove, Ginger Monkey 31, Hanky Panky, Jaunty Goat, Little Yellow Pig, Oh Concept, Rainbow Tea Rooms, Sandstone, Short & Stout……. SEE MAP

We hope you will join and donate your membership to Eco Communities but if not we have two options:

• You can join and donate – donate the fee after card transaction costs and then we can use the money towards growing the scheme.

We hope long term to find a cost effective tech solution but this isn’t possible just yet.

Support our fantastic local independent businesses and share pictures on social media. #cheshirecupclub #sustainablecheshire #plasticfreecheshire