Government fails to back 'latte levy' on disposable coffee cups and rejects outright ban

Environmental Audit Committee chair Mary Creagh said: ‘Our report recommended practical solutions to the disposable packaging crisis. The Government’s response shows that despite warm words they plan no real action’

Around 2.5 billion single-use coffee cups a year are thrown away in Britain (Getty)

The Government has failed to back a “latte levy” on disposable coffee cups, while also rejecting a recommendation to ban them completely by 2023.

It follows MPs’ calls earlier this year to combat the UK’s mountain of unrecycled disposable coffee cups by introducing a 25p charge to the price of a takeaway coffee.

In January, the Environmental Audit Committee in the Commons said the Government had “sat on its hands” as the country threw away 2.5 billion single-use coffee cups a year.

Responding to the committee’s recommendations, the Government said it would “consider” this type of “incentive” among other policy options on the table.

Ministers, however, rejected a call from the committee for a complete ban on disposable cups from 2023 unless the industry hits a target of recycling 100 per cent of those placed in recycling bins.

“Targets should be challenging, but realistic,” the Government said. “100 per cent recycling from collection is unobtainable as there will always be contamination in the waste stream – either from the beverage itself, or from other items disposed of alongside the cup.”

But Mary Creagh, the chair of the committee, said the UK’s throwaway culture is having a “devastating impact on our streets, beaches and seas”, and accused ministers of inaction.

She said: “Our report recommended practical solutions to the disposable packaging crisis. The Government’s response shows that despite warm words they plan no real action.”

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On the proposal of a latte levy, the Government added: “We agree with the committee’s point on waste hierarchy and we would also like to see a significant reduction in the use of disposable coffee cups. Clearly, the 5p single-use plastic bag charge has had a big impact and far fewer are being sold.

“So these types of incentives can change consumer behaviour and this is something we could consider amongst other policy options.”

The Government said it is pleased that major coffee retailers have already taken action to reduce the use of disposable coffee cups by offering discounts to customers with reusable cups.

The response continued: “The Government would like to see this service offered by all businesses selling disposable coffee cups.”

Since the report’s publication Starbucks coffee chain became the first in the UK to trial its own charge of 5p in 35 selected London branches, in a three-month trial conducted in association with environmental charity Hubbub.

Ms Creagh said the Government response “completely misses the point” by focusing instead on voluntary anti-littering labelling.

“Consumers deserve to know if their coffee cup will be recycled or not,” she said.

“The Government’s response to my committee’s recommendation ... lacks ambition and puts coffee in the ‘too difficult’ ministerial in-tray.”

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