RESTAURANT chain Boston Tea Party (BTP) has called on its rivals to follow their lead – and ban single-use cups.
BTP – which has a branch in Salisbury – has launched a Hey, Big Coffee Chain campaign, calling on major players in the hospitality industry to cut the cups.
It said its own ban, introduced in 2018, had seen one million cups saved from landfill and is urging others to take action.
CEO of BTP, Sam Roberts, said: “We’re not just patting ourselves on the back here—this campaign is about shaking up the industry. If we can do it, why can’t the big guys?
“The environmental impact of single-use cups is something we can’t ignore any longer.
“The hospitality industry has immense power to drive real change, and we’re calling on everyone to step up and take responsibility.”
Back in 2018, BTP became the first UK café group to ban single-use cups, amid figures showing the UK was discarding 2.5 billion each year, with less than 0.25% being recycled.
“We knew this wouldn’t be an easy move for us, and it won’t be easy for the bigger chains either, but that’s no excuse,” Sam added.
“If we don’t act now, we’re just kicking the can down the road.
“The reality is that this needs to become standard across the board. There’s no reason why bigger players with more resources can’t match or exceed what we’ve done.”
The Hey, Big Coffee Chain campaign aims to build a movement around eliminating single-use cups, with members of the public being urged to sign a petition to help drive a nationwide ban on single-use coffee cups.
Customers at BTP are given three options when ordering:
• Bring Your Own: Customers are encouraged to bring any reusable cup or mug.
• Borrow a Cup: BTP’s Loan Cup scheme allows customers to borrow a reusable cup for £2, which is refunded when it is returned.
• Buy a Cup: Ecoffee Cups are available in small, medium, and large, starting from £4.25.
Meanwhile, the café group donates 10p from every takeaway hot drink to the Boston Foundation, providing workplace opportunities and hands-on experience to young people local to our cafes, ensuring that even small efforts have a big impact in the communities they serve.
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