Coffee pod recycling scheme hits 10 million milestone at Morrisons

Recycling initiative Podback and supermarket chain Morrisons have reached a major milestone, collecting over 10 million used coffee pods – equivalent to 197 tonnes – in the first half of 2025 through their in-store collection scheme.

Morrisons was the first UK supermarket to partner with Podback in introducing dedicated recycling points for coffee pods in stores. The scheme initially launched as a trial in 29 locations in July 2023, before expanding significantly. Between January and June 2025, recycling units were installed in 411 Morrisons stores across the UK.

Customers can collect Podback recycling bags from customer service desks and return filled bags to any participating store. The initiative has seen strong engagement, with each site collecting an average of over 24,000 pods. The Woking branch in Surrey stands out as the top-performing store, recycling around 5 tonnes, or more than 334,000 pods, in just over six months.

Since the rollout of Podback’s collection bins, Morrisons has also reported a 17% increase in recycling across other waste streams in-store – including soft plastics, batteries, ink cartridges and vapes – suggesting a broader positive impact on customer recycling habits.

Natasha Keighley, Packaging Manager at Morrisons, said: We are incredibly proud to have helped our customers recycle more than 10 million coffee pods in just six months. It is clear when we make recycling simple and accessible, people want to do the right thing. The success of the Podback rollout, and the positive impact it has had on other recycling steams too, shows how partnerships like this can help us all to waste less and recycle more.

The used pods collected are processed in the UK, with the aluminium and plastic materials repurposed into new products such as drink cans, car parts and building materials. The coffee grounds are also recycled to produce renewable energy and soil improver.