Celebrating the end of Cup Movement® in the Highlands

We're celebrating the end of Cup Movement® in the Highlands with the release of our legacy report and video.

Earlier this week we also hosted a webinar to share our key learnings and outcomes alongside our funders Hubbub, our app and cups supplier Vytal and Hazel Boswell, owner of The Midge Bite Cafe, one of our 23 participating businesses.

More than 1,000 single-use cups were saved thanks to the innovative large-scale reusable cup pilot scheme in the Highlands, which ran from April to October 2023 and was designed to promote the use of reusable cups and reduce the number of takeaway drinks sold in single-use cups.

The pilot was one of six projects across the UK funded through the Bring It Back Fund, a £1.4million fund from environmental charity Hubbub and Starbucks, and utilised innovative app technology from cup system suppliers Vytal.

A total of 1,051 cups were checked out by 269 users, with a 92% return rate. Across the participating businesses there was a 27% increase in customers using their own reusable cup.

Although the majority of cups were returned to the same business they came from, some cups were dropped off across the NC500 and one cup, borrowed in Inverness, was returned to a business in Germany.

Barry Fisher, our Chief Executive, said: "Our Cup Movement® in the Highlands pilot scheme was a fantastic success, with an enthusiastic response from both the businesses involved and the customers who participated.

"As well as more than 1,000 single-use cups being saved, the key learnings and outcomes from this innovative trial will be invaluable as we shape our future campaigns to tackle single-use consumption.

"Our Scottish Litter Survey found that 29% of people think littered single-use drink containers have become more common, so something needs to change.

"The response to Cup Movement® in the Highlands shows there is a clear desire for change and we will continue to trial innovative schemes such as this to make it easier for people to do the right thing and enjoy guilt free takeaway drinks."

While Cup Movement® in the Highlands in its current form has ended, four of the participating businesses - which checked out the most cups throughout the trial - have signed ongoing partnership agreements to continue directly with Vytal, highlighting the significant, positive impact of the scheme and the appetite for a reusable cup scheme.

Our Cup Movement® campaign aims to transform our relationship with single-use cups and help people make more sustainable cup choices.

Read our Cup Movement® in the Highlands legacy report and watch the video on our YouTube.