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Promoting the Use of Reusable Coffee Cups through Environmental Messaging, the Provision of Alternatives and Financial Incentives

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  • Wouter Poortinga

    (Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University, Bute Building, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3NB, UK
    School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, 70 Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK)

  • Louise Whitaker

    (Bewley’s Tea and Coffee UK Ltd., 8 Century Point, Cressex Business Park, Halifax Road, High Wycombe HP12 3SL, UK)

Abstract

It is estimated that 2.5–10 bn disposable coffee cups are used every year in the U.K. Most of these cups end up in landfill or as litter, as the majority of poly-coated paper cups are not recyclable or not recycled. Here, we report on a field experiment that was conducted at twelve university and business sites to examine whether the use of reusable cups can be promoted through easily implementable measures. The study found that both environmental messaging and the provision of alternatives increased the use of reusable cups. While a charge on disposable cups increased their use as well, a discount on reusable cups did not. The effects for the individual measures were modest, but additive, meaning that the greatest behavioural change was achieved with a combination of measures. None of the measures negatively impacted the total number of hot drink sales. One university continued with the charge after the experiment had finished and distributed more reusable cups for free among their students. This boosted the use of reusable cups up to 33.7% across three cafés. This shows that a charge in combination with the provision of alternatives can increase the use of reusable cups substantially in the long term.

Suggested Citation

  • Wouter Poortinga & Louise Whitaker, 2018. "Promoting the Use of Reusable Coffee Cups through Environmental Messaging, the Provision of Alternatives and Financial Incentives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-10, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:3:p:873-:d:137013
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    1. Nicolau, Juan Luis & Stadlthanner, Katja Anna & Andreu, Luisa & Font, Xavier, 2022. "Explaining the willingness of consumers to bring their own reusable coffee cups under the condition of monetary incentives," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    2. Żaneta Muranko & Catriona Tassell & Anouk Zeeuw van der Laan & Marco Aurisicchio, 2021. "Characterisation and Environmental Value Proposition of Reuse Models for Fast-Moving Consumer Goods: Reusable Packaging and Products," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-35, March.
    3. Grilli, Gianluca & Curtis, John, 2021. "An evaluation of public initiatives to change behaviours that affect water quality," Papers WP696, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    4. Tobias D. Nielsen & Jacob Hasselbalch & Karl Holmberg & Johannes Stripple, 2020. "Politics and the plastic crisis: A review throughout the plastic life cycle," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 9(1), January.
    5. Novoradovskaya, Elizaveta & Mullan, Barbara & Hasking, Penelope, 2023. "Acceptability of a behaviour change intervention aimed at increasing the use of a reusable hot drink cup," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    6. McNicholas, Grace & Cotton, Matthew, 2019. "Stakeholder perceptions of marine plastic waste management in the United Kingdom," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 77-87.
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    8. Justus Caspers & Elisabeth Süßbauer & Vlad Constantin Coroama & Matthias Finkbeiner, 2023. "Life Cycle Assessments of Takeaway Food and Beverage Packaging: The Role of Consumer Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-14, February.
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    11. Angela Yi Jing Tsai & Alex Yong Kwang Tan, 2022. "Analysis of Undergraduates’ Environmentally Friendly Behavior: Case Study of Tzu Chi University Environmental Education Program," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-17, July.
    12. Ani Qi & Zeyu Ji & Yuanchao Gong & Bo Yang & Yan Sun, 2022. "The Impact of the Gain-Loss Frame on College Students’ Willingness to Participate in the Individual Low-Carbon Behavior Rewarding System (ILBRS): The Mediating Role of Environmental Risk Perception," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-12, September.
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