Reusable cups uptake data for 2023-24

The table below presents detailed data on the reusable cup uptake in the Students' Union outlets (Print Room Café, Gordon's Café, Bloomsbury Café, George Farha Café, Grab and Go) and related reduction in environmental impacts.

Please note that depending on the trade volume in a given month the impacts can be higher despite a lower % uptake of reusable cups.

Month % drinks sold in reusable cups Carbon emissions saved*
(kg CO2-eq**)		Solid waste saved
(kg) 		Plastic saved
(kg)
September21.57%129.18317.4614.39
October21.06%256.28625.7428.55
November25.15%225.29580.1025.10
December24.41%128.37327.3314.30
January23.85%195.25494.2121.75
February25.37%187.54484.3320.89
March24.89%171.58440.3019.12
April26.31%110.69289.5312.33
May26.03%137.53358.3715.32
June24.71%118.04302.1613.15
Environmental impacts breakdown of reusable cups uptake in Union's outlets, month on month for 2023-24 academic year

Reusable cups uptake data for 2022-23

Month % drinks sold in reusable cups Carbon emissions saved*
(kg CO2-eq**)		Solid waste saved
(kg) 		Plastic saved
(kg)
September17.02%146.58314.6516.33
October11.53%297.38601.1033.13
November14.48%252.16568.3128.09
December13.24%177.11393.4419.73
January16.26%258.30594.5328.78
February16.47%233.94539.8126.06
March15.92%275.89632.3830.74
April18.51%119.92283.6213.36
May24.05%154.08391.0017.17
June24.46%128.76328.5314.35
Environmental impacts breakdown of reusable cups uptake in Union's outlets, month on month for 2022-23 academic year

References

*Compared to using the Union's ecoffee reusable cup, based on the cup's complete life cycle from manufacturing to disposal. Calculations are based on methodologies and data from:

  • Almeida, J., Le Pellec, M. and Bengtsson, J., 2018. Reusable coffee cups life cycle assessment and benchmark.
  • United Nations Environment Programme, 2021. Single-use beverage cups and their alternatives - Recommendations from Life Cycle Assessments.
  • VTT, 2019. Single-use paper cups (PE- and PLAlined) and reusable PP, stainless steel and ceramic cups in sit-down and takeaway contexts.

**A carbon dioxide equivalent or CO2 equivalent, abbreviated as CO2-eq is a metric measure used to compare the emissions from various greenhouse gases on the basis of their global-warming potential (GWP), by converting amounts of other gases to the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide with the same global warming potential.