The Scottish Government estimates that the country got through 388 million single-use cups between 2021 and 2022, generating 5,400 tonnes of waste.
To fight this high volume of avoidable waste, the government is considering a minimum charge for single-use cups of any material. The current proposal is 25p.
Waste expert and co-founder of BusinessWaste.co.uk, Mark Hall, has a different opinion: “It’s about time measures are taken to tackle disposable cup waste, but 25p is too low a charge! This won’t be enough to truly make a change and stop people using them. Most plastic bags these days cost between 30p and 60p and they still fly off the shelves. Instead it should be increased to at least £1 to have a significant impact.”
When first introduced, the plastic bag charge decreased use by 80% in Scotland, which shows it’s an effective strategy. However, the price of plastic bags kept increasing. Although some supermarkets have gone from charging 5p to 60p, the bags still sell.
Mark continues: “A higher charge will draw more public attention to the issue of single-use waste and will lead to more instant changes in consumer behaviour. This will also motivate businesses to offer more sustainable alternatives or incentives for customers who bring reusable cups.”
Calum Duncan, head of policy and advocacy at the Marine Conservation Society said: "Our volunteers have recorded single-use disposable cups on over half of UK beaches. We need to see charges on these kinds of items to reduce litter in our seas and prevent it from damaging our precious marine life.”
The society’s annual litter survey reported an 80% drop in plastic bags found on UK beaches since charges were introduced.
Exemptions will likely apply in different locations, such as schools, hospitals, and care settings, but it will affect most hospitality businesses. There’s currently a debate on whether the profits from the cups should be kept by the business, donated to charities, or collected by the government.
Gillian Martin, acting net zero secretary, said that retailers would be able to retain some profits and benefits from implementing the charge.
On this matter, Mark Hall also has a few suggestions: “The additional revenue from a higher charge should be directed towards funding environmental initiatives, such as recycling programs, cleanup efforts, and public education campaigns about waste reduction and sustainability. This will truly maximise the impact of the initiative.”
The Scottish Government aims to introduce a charge on single-use drink cups by the end of 2025. The consultation runs until 5 November 2024.