Scotland considers 25p charge for single-use cups

The Scottish Government is seeking public input on a proposed charge for single-use cups as part of its efforts to promote responsible consumption and reduce waste. The consultation explores the potential introduction of a 25p charge on all single-use drink cups, regardless of the material, with certain exemptions such as schools and free drinks in hospital or care settings.

The idea follows similar initiatives already in place in Europe, like the Netherlands' 25-cent charge on plastic cups and pending legislation in the Republic of Ireland for environmental levies on disposable cups.

Under the proposals, retailers could offset their costs of implementing the charge, similar to the approach taken with the single-use carrier bag charge in Scotland. The consultation also asks whether the proceeds from the charge should be retained by businesses for charitable purposes or collected by local or national government.

The introduction of a 5p charge on plastic carrier bags in Scotland in 2014 led to an 80% reduction in their use, with the Marine Conservation Society reporting a similar drop in plastic bags found on UK beaches. The Scottish Government hopes that a similar charge on single-use cups could have a comparable impact on reducing waste.

Acting Net Zero Secretary Gillian Martin said: The success of the single-use carrier bag charge shows how an environmental charge can be an effective tool to change people’s behaviour and encourage responsible consumption. While many businesses already have offers in place to encourage the use of reusable drinks cups, hundreds of millions of single-use cups are still being discarded, creating 5,400 tonnes of waste every year. Many of these cups end up littering our roadsides, town centres, beaches and parks.

Introducing a national charge could provide consistency for consumers, provide a level playing field for retail and businesses and help to drive forward sustainable behaviours. Our proposed approach is similar to the charge for single-use carrier bags and will be familiar to both suppliers and the public. We hope this means that it will minimise any administrative burden on businesses and make it easy for individuals and organisations to adopt.

Public views are now being sought to shape the final details of the proposal.