Following the successful return of more than 11,000 reusable coffee cups and enthusiastic participation from residents and businesses alike, Cardiff’s pilot Refill Return Cup Scheme came to a close at the end of May 2025.
The Cardiff Refill Return Cup scheme was launched and delivered by FOR Cardiff with support from City to Sea and funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. It aimed to reduce the city’s reliance on single-use coffee cups by enabling customers to ‘borrow’ a reusable cup from one of the participating venues via a digital app, then return it to any other participating venue, for free.
Over the course of eight months, the pilot demonstrated strong appetite for reuse – boasting an exceptionally high cup return rate of 97% – and has also laid the groundwork for similar models to be implemented across the UK.
REUSE MOMENTUM SET TO CONTINUE
More than 20 cafes and hospitality venues across the city centre joined forces to create a circular, city-wide reuse network as part of the Cardiff Refill Return Cup pilot.
Following the conclusion of the scheme, most of the venues who took part have opted to keep their reusable cups and continue promoting reuse independently, either for drink-in service, or through their own informal deposit systems – ensuring that the environmental benefits will continue well beyond the pilot’s official end.
