Portsmouth coffee shops to take part in reusable cup scheme

Set up by Southsea-based company Squidmoo, the WayCup scheme is set to launch on Monday (November 8).

Customers will have the option of buying a reusable coffee cup for £10 from any of three local businesses, to be used between them, rather than a single-use one each time. They can then return the cup at any time and get the £10 refunded.

Lex Cuppleditch, who runs Squidmoo with her partner Tom Ellis, said they were inspired to create WayCup during the first lockdown.

‘When we were going out for our daily walk along Southsea seafront we would see the bins absolutely overflowing with coffee cups,’ she said.

‘We had never seen it so bad. We had already created sustainable water bottles with Squidmoo and we just put two and two together, it’s a huge area that needs to be addressed. And from there we designed the cup.

‘I know I have forgotten my cup before in coffee shops and I want to make a conscious choice not to create more waste. This way people can do that without having reusable cups piling up at home.’

Businesses set to take part are the Southsea Deli in Elm Grove, Broadway Coffee Roasters in Highland Road and The Canteen in Broad Street – although there is the potential for other places to sign up next year.

Lex, 37, added ‘The businesses involved are already working hard to make sustainable choices and reduce their plastic waste so we knew they shared our passion for this.

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‘We have numerous other businesses on the precipice that we hope to get onboard in the new year.

‘We are also partnered with the Final Straw foundation and they are running a sister scheme in Emsworth.’

It is thought if all coffee drinkers in Portsmouth used reusable cups it would save 173,740,000 cups from being used and thrown away.

To find out more visit squidmoo.co.uk/waycup or download the contactless app via onelink.to/menu.

Or if you are a business interested in getting involved email Lex and Tom on [email protected].

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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