Boston Tea Party Launches Campaign to Transform UK Coffee Culture

By Jill Dando News

Boston Tea Party (BTP) is issuing a bold challenge to the UK’s largest coffee chains with the launch of its ‘Hey, Big Coffee Chain’ campaign.

In a push for greater sustainability, BTP is calling on major players in the hospitality industry to follow its lead and eliminate single-use cups.

With one million cups already saved from landfill since BTP’s own decision to ban single-use cups in 2018, the café group is urging others to take action and match their commitment to a more sustainable future.

CEO Sam Roberts is clear about the importance of the challenge: 

“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, Boston Tea Party became the first UK café group to ban single-use cups. At the time, the UK was discarding 2.5 billion disposable coffee cups annually, with less than 0.25% being recycled, according to the UK House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee.

BTP is driven by a desire to stop contributing to the waste problem and now, with one million cups saved from landfill, BTP is using this milestone to challenge the industry to follow suit.

“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. If we don’t act now, we’re just kicking the can down the road,” Roberts adds. “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.

BTP is encouraging the public to sign a petition to help drive a nationwide ban on single-use coffee cups and push the big chains to take responsibility for their environmental impact.

Boston Tea Party’s reusable cup scheme remains central to the campaign, with three simple options for customers:

• 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 just £2, which is fully refundable when you return your cup.
• Buy a Cup: Ecoffee Cups are available in small, medium, and large, starting from £4.25.

While the café group acknowledges the practical challenges involved in making the switch, they emphasise that small changes by individuals and businesses alike can lead to significant collective impact.

The café group also continues to donate 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.

To join the ‘Hey, Big Coffee Chain’ campaign and support the push for a ban on single-use cups, customers can visit any Boston Tea Party café  and choose to reuse or sign the petition on the company’s website.

This campaign is about more than just numbers—it’s about leading the way for the entire hospitality industry to move towards a more sustainable future.

For more information about the Cups campaign, visit: https://bostonteaparty.co.uk/our-story/cups-campaign/

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