Costa Coffee Ramps Up Recycling Commitments

Costa Coffee has partnered with Podback to ramp up its coffee pod recycling, pursuing greater sustainability and circularity.

Podback is one of the biggest coffee pod recycling services in the UK.

The company will help Costa Coffee establish consumer-facing recycling points, including recycling bags and convenient drop-off locations for used coffee pods. 

This will be rolled out in a five-month trial starting in August at 142 select Costa Coffee outlets in the UK.

Outlets will include 133 counters within Tesco stores and nine key high street spots in Swindon.

The blueprint for action

"We are always looking for new ways to make it easier for our customers to recycle our packaging," says Liz Higgins, Costa Coffee's Head of Sustainability.

"Through this trial with Podback, in-store drop-off points will offer coffee pod users the chance to conveniently recycle their pods with us – whether they are Costa branded or not."

The Podback scheme, which includes member brands like Starbucks and Nescafé has been warmly welcomed by consumers, who report it enhances their capacity to balance sustainability with daily life. 

"This trial gives Podback customers the opportunity to drop off their used pods at local Costa Coffee stores, a response to customer feedback telling us people want a choice of ways to recycle that fit with their daily lives." says Rick Hindley, Podback’s Executive Director.

 Circular pod recycling 

The subsequent recycling operation divides aluminium and plastic pods, directing them to distinct UK-based facilities for recycling. 

Aluminium is utilised in the production of beverage cans and auto parts while recycled plastic pods transition into packaging crates and construction materials. 

Moreover, Podback ingeniously repurposes spent coffee grounds, channeling them to anaerobic digestion plants to generate biogas and fertiliser, creating a completely circular approach to waste. 

Costa's partnership with Podback follows a history of sustainability. 

The manufacturer previously collaborated with Valpak to introduce the UK's National Cup Recycling Scheme in 2018, attracting participation from other prominent coffee retailers like Pret A Manger, McDonald’s and Burger King. 

This collective effort highlights the importance of food and beverage manufacturers coming together to uphold and redefine sustainable standards.

Creating opportunities for future sustainability

"The trial with Costa Coffee is a fantastic way to normalise and simplify recycling coffee pods," says Catherine David, WRAP's Director of Behaviour Change and Business Programmes.

"Due to their multiple component materials, these pods must be sent to a specialist recycling facility

"Now, customers can easily drop them off in any participating Costa Coffee store.

"Making recycling simple is key to success, and capturing trickier items like pods at scale is an important step forward."

As the trial progresses, its impact may set the stage for broader implementation throughout the UK coffee sector.

Rick Hindley is optimistic about this potential.

"We are excited to be working with Costa Coffee and Tesco to make this a reality in more than 140 locations across the country," he says.

"We are sure Podback customers will welcome the new service, and hope that it is the first step to rolling out more drop-off locations throughout the UK."

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