Proposed charges on single use cups – have your say

The Scottish Government is running a survey on introducing a charge on single use cups – and the public has until 14 November to have their say.

The proposal is to levy 25p on all single use disposable cups for hot and cold drinks. Places like schools would be exempt.

Zero Waste Scotland says that more than 380 million cups are used and thrown away in Scotland each year – or 71 per person per year. This is one of the highest rates in Europe.

According to a recent survey more than half of Scots think more needs to be done to tackle the problem and they are behind measures such as bans or charges to reduce single-use waste.

And around 60% of people in Scotland say they would buy fewer beverages in single-use cups if these were charged for, while 74% say a charge would encourage them to use a reusable cup more often.

Iain Gulland, Chief Executive of Zero Waste Scotland, said: “The proposed charge for single-use cups is another really important step to help us move away from our throwaway society and towards a more circular economy. Our on-the-go culture has fuelled an enormous rise in single-use items that are a waste of resources and end up polluting our natural environment.

“Measures, like the single-use carrier bag charge, have shown that small financial disincentives are an effective way of changing behaviour towards single-use items and can help switch people on to reusable alternatives.

“We appreciate the implementation of a cup charge can lead to additional considerations for retailers, which is why I would strongly urge them to engage in this consultation  – so decision-makers can best understand how to enact this important measure in a way that works well for retailers and customers alike.”

https://www.gov.scot/publications/charging-single-use-disposable-beverage-cups-consultation