Costa Coffee trials plant-based lids in UK for single-use carbon cuts

25 Apr 2022 --- Costa Coffee is launching a trial of 100% fiber lids on takeaway cups at 150 stores across the UK. The lids are made from renewable plant-based material and fully recyclable. If successful, the UK’s largest coffee chain will roll out the new lids in early 2023. 

They will be available across small, medium, and large takeaway cup sizes and have up to 50% lower carbon footprint than the current polystyrene plastic lids. 

As part of an ongoing effort to reduce its environmental impact, Costa Coffee changed the inside lining of its takeaway cups to plant-based plastic from oil-based plastic last year. The new cups have a 26% lower carbon footprint than Costa Coffee’s previous takeaway cups when recycled.

The trial of the new fiber lids will mean those consumers opting for a takeaway cup can enjoy their favorite Costa coffee in 100% plant-based packaging. 

Slashing carbon emissions
The trial goes live just a month after Costa Coffee committed to halving its carbon emissions per coffee serving by 2030 and reaching net-zero by 2040.

The lids are made from renewable plant-based material and fully recyclable.The coffee shop chain will gather “real life” consumer and store team member feedback for the new lids, including their look and feel, following testing and development in controlled environments.

The lids will also be trialed in selected Costa Express machines this summer.

“Targets require action and today’s announcement is another positive step in the right direction, helping improve single-use options for coffee fans,” says Deb Caldow, Costa Coffee’s global brand and sustainability director.

“We are working simultaneously on three key areas within our packaging – reuse, reduce, recycle. Our aim is to encourage consumers to adapt to reuse regularly, through offering reusable ‘rent a cup’ schemes and by rewarding consumers through an enhanced loyalty scheme, rewarding those opting to reuse.”

Parallel priorities 
To achieve these carbon reduction targets, Caldow explains the company must approach from “all angles.”

“Constantly improving single-use material options, and maximizing cup collection and recycling, are all parallel priorities. Last year we launched takeaway cups made from 100% plant-based materials in major markets around the world and have plans to continue to improve the iconic Costa Coffee cup,” she says.

“We are now focusing on single-use lids, moving from polystyrene plastic lids to new fiber lids that are [environmentally] sustainably sourced, made from renewable material and fully recyclable.”Costa Coffee says its 2030 target to halve emissions per serving of coffee has been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative.

“We’re confident that the trial will show us that consumers are ready for the switch from plastic to fiber and that as the UK’s favorite and biggest coffee shop chain, we can make a huge difference in reducing the volume and impact of single-use, oil-based plastic, on the environment.”

“We hope other brands will join us in giving consumers easy ways to make more [environmentally] sustainable choices when enjoying their daily coffee.”

In related news, quick service restaurant Max Burgers will roll out a fiber coffee lid, “the Liplid” – made from PulPac’s fiber forming technology in all its restaurants in Sweden this year. Liplid is a dry molded fiber lid boasting an 80% lower CO2 footprint compared to lid alternatives.

Reuse trial extension
Also leading on reuse, Costa Coffee recently extended its UK trial of a blockchain technology-powered reusable cup scheme, BURT (Borrow, Use, Reuse, Takeback), which allows consumers to borrow (“rent”) a reusable cup to takeaway and return it on their next visit. 

The company also relaunched their loyalty scheme last year with environmental sustainability considerations at the forefront through the introduction of “Green Beans.” The scheme now rewards consumers with a free drink after only four purchases when using a reusable cup, compared to eight purchases in a takeaway cup.

Meanwhile, Costa Coffee says its 2030 target to halve emissions per serving of coffee has been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative – the internationally-recognized partnership between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute and the Worldwide Fund for Nature. 

Costa Coffee highlights it was also one of the first brands to sign up to the British Retail Consortium’s Climate Action Roadmap, continuing to lead and participate in external industry coalitions.

By Natalie Schwertheim