Customers who use a reusable cup will now receive a 50p discount on the price when they buy a hot drink. This is doubling the existing discount of 25p that was introduced in August 2017. This move means that customers will now be able to buy a filter coffee in Pret A Manger for only 49p if they bring their own reusable coffee cup with them.
The CEO of Pret A Manger Clive Schlee stated that he was delighted to introduce this increased discount as he believed that it was better to reward customers rather than tax them by introducing charges for the use of plastic coffee cups. He added that Pret A Manger are intending to launch their own reusable coffee cup later this year and that they are also considering introducing the use of china cups in more of their shops where seating areas are available.
It has become clear that plastic waste is an increasing environmental issue that needs to be addressed with researchers from Cardiff University claiming that 2.5 billion disposable cups are used in the UK each year and that this creates approximately 25.000 tonnes of waste. The Chancellor also talked about the possibility of introducing a tax on single use plastic in the last budget to deal with the "scourge of plastic cups." Research has estimated that the introduction of charges on plastic cups could reduce their usage by about 300 million cups per year.
Other coffee chains such as Costa Starbucks are offering a 25p discount when a disposable coffee cup is used but the new Pret A Manger discount of 50p is the largest one that is currently available.
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