Latte Levy: Why the Future is Favouring Travel Mugs

There’s nothing like a warm cup of coffee to kickstart your morning, but future plans could leave you paying more for the pleasure. In a bid to combat the billions of disposable cups used each year, rumours of a proposed ‘latte levy’ have been hot topic in recent months. But what is a latte levy, and what could it mean for you?

What’s a latte levy?

A ‘latte levy’ is a proposed idea to discourage the use of disposable coffee cups by making it a legal requirement to charge customers an extra 25p for using one. This proposal has been pushed forward by various MPs and campaign groups, but has not yet been approved by parliament – whether it will remains to be seen.

Environment Minister, George Eustice, has reportedly said that the government remain open-minded surrounding a potential latte levy – possibly buoyed by the success of the 5p plastic bag charge.

Starbucks have been the first chain to enforce their own latte levy, by trialing a 5p charge on disposable cups across 35 stores.

What’s the problem with disposable coffee cups?

Simply put, takeaway cups generate a huge amount of waste which puts pressure on landfill sites and wreaks environmental havoc. Out of the billions of coffee cups used each year, the Daily Mail reports that only a measly 1 in 400 disposable cups are recycled – this has much to do with the fact that disposable cups are not easily recycled due to their plastic coating.

What is the alternative to disposable cups?

Reusable cups are the simple, cheap and convenient solution to the wasteful nature of disposable cups – with many coffee joints rewarding you with a discount for bringing your own. Regardless of the future of the latte levy, taking your own cup to your favourite coffee haunt is a surefire way to play a vital part in the fight against wastage. You can even personalise your reusable coffee cup, or create branded ones for company-wide use – making environmental protection a team effort.

Midway Clothing & Promotions are experts at producing branded travel mugs and reusable cups in any quantity, perfect for promotional use or as a gift for new starters. We professionally brand an array of drinkware, including travel coffee cups, thermoses, water bottles, and mugs. We deliver nationwide from our base in Nottingham to clients across the UK – to discover more, get in touch with our friendly team.