Independent coffee chain Boston Tea Party has reported a £250,000 drop in sales since banning single-use cups last June. The Bristol-based company, which has 22 branches across England, saw takeaway coffee sales fall by 25% after introducing the measure.
Customers must now bring a reusable cup, drink in, or pay a deposit on a cup that can be returned to any branch. Owner Sam Roberts said the loss was factored into plans, adding that too many operators were “putting their profits before the planet”.
The chain sells around £1m in takeaway coffees each year, but the ban has cut that by a quarter. Mr Roberts noted that a strong food offer and supportive customers have helped the business, but acknowledged a smaller shop would struggle to finance such a move. He called for major brands to follow suit, arguing that discounts on reusable cups have low uptake – only 5% when BTP tried it.
Other chains have taken different steps: Costa, Pret, and Starbucks offer discounts for reusable cups; Starbucks and McDonald’s have invested £10m in sustainable cup alternatives. Caffè Nero, Greggs, and others participate in a cup recycling scheme. However, recycling remains difficult due to the plastic-paper lining, with a 2017 report suggesting only 1 in 400 cups were recycled. Mike Turner of the Paper Cup Alliance said that figure has now risen to 1 in 25.
Rebecca Burgess, chief executive of campaign group City to Sea, praised BTP’s “bravery” and called for other chains to act. The “latte levy” was rejected in the autumn budget, with ministers favouring voluntary discounts.
