Cup Movement ® in the Highlands coming to NC500 soon

Call for businesses to support design of new reusable cup scheme

​We are calling for businesses that sell takeaway hot and cold drinks in the area around the NC500 route to join the Cup Movement® in the Highlands.

During 2023 we will be trialling a reusable cup scheme and are now looking for businesses to get involved to share their knowledge and experiences and support the design process to develop a scheme that will work for them and their customers.

A recent study highlighted that ‘73% of people think more needs to be done to make it easier to choose reusable alternatives to single use food and drink packaging’[1]. 

And while the convenience of single use cups often wins over reusable options, they come at a cost, to our environment, and also for those businesses using them to sell their hot and cold drinks in.

This new Cup Movement ® campaign aims is to make it easier for businesses and customers to choose to use a reusable cup when purchasing takeaway drinks in NC500 area of the Highlands. A webinar will be available from 20 December providing an opportunity for people to find out more about the reusable cup trial, the time scales for design and its roll out.  It will also provide more information on how businesses can contribute to the design of the scheme.

Find out how to get involved by emailing highlandcup@keepscotlandbeautiful.org

Catherine Gee, Deputy CEO of Keep Scotland Beautiful said, “Single use cups are a classic example of the throwaway culture that we want to help change. Millions of single use cups are wasted every year, and we want to make reusable mainstream.

“Our planned trial of a reusable cup deposit scheme in collaboration with NorthCoast 500, Zero Waste Scotland and Highland Good Food Partnership will take learning from our innovative Cup Movement® in Glasgow.

“We know that many small businesses lack the time and investment to explore alternative solutions to single use cups.  So, we urge those that sell takeaway hot and cold drinks in the area around the NC500 route to get in touch and find out how to join Cup Movement ® in the Highlands.”

In bringing Cup Movement ® to the Highlands we will also explore the challenges of cups, bust some of the myths around compostable cups and recycling, and highlight some of the upcoming measures that may come into force impacting businesses such as mandatory takeback and a single use cup charge.

Early in 2023 there will also be opportunities to share thoughts on the logistics and marketing of any scheme, and for customers to share their views in online polling.

Check out more about the Highland Cup Movement and the Bring It Back Fund which is making this possible.

[1] ‘Reuse Systems Unpacked’ Hubbub and Bunzl