Blenheim Palace launches digital returnable cups concept

The permanent scheme has completely removed the use of single-use cups from the Blenheim estate by inviting visitors to take away hot drinks served in returnable cups, which come with a £2 deposit.

Once visitors are finished with their drink, they are required to return the reusable cup to one of the numerous on-site return points. Upon its return, the deposit is refunded to the visitor’s digital wallet, providing them with the option of keeping the credit for future use. The cups are then washed onsite and made ready for reuse.

Designed to facilitate rich customer experiences powered by technology, the web-based customer interface supports multi-lingual and multi-branded experiences based on information detected in the user’s browser and the codes embedded in each cup.

Through powerful Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, cups can be tracked at every point in the process, even without being individually scanned.

A centralised digital data dashboard shows where the cups are in real-time, aiding asset management stock inventory, physical location, return and reuse rates as well as CO2 savings. By making data publicly accessible online, each customer is also able to see how their actions and those of other customers are helping to create a more sustainable future.

David Green, Head of Innovation at Blenheim Palace, said “We serve 400,000 hot drinks every single year and have the ambition of being carbon neutral by 2027 so the introduction of our returnable cup scheme is a major step towards that goal. The main benefit of the scheme is that we expect to eradicate 30 tonnes of carbon every single year as a result.

“An initial pilot of the returnable scheme saw us choose not to charge a deposit, which led to a certain volume of cups going missing and limiting the scheme’s effectiveness. Adding that deposit element has meant that people have taken more ownership of their waste, which is crucial.”

This innovative scheme is creating significant interest with like-minded organisations. Blenheim have already hosted visitors from UK’s major retailers, global airports, visitor attractions and industry experts keen to see how this model could work at scale.

Earlier this year, Circular&Co. launched the Circular Returnable Cup as the solution to the single-use coffee cup problem. The Circular Returnable cup is designed specifically to meet the commercial demands of the hot drinks industry.

The Circular Returnable Cup has been uniquely and specifically designed to meet the urgent global need for returnable packaging solutions. After two years of development, and 12 months of field testing in a variety of returnable cup pilot projects, Circular&Co. launched the first Returnable Cup designed specifically for commercial use. The design and innovation team have considered each detail of the cup’s journey from the bottom up, from drying time and stack-ability, to what a barista needs for the perfect latte pour, to the user’s drinking experience.

Adam Trethewy, Commercial Lead at Circular&Co., added “The launch of the returnable cup scheme at Blenheim Palace is a major step forward for the adoption of circular economy principles in the UK. By working closely with our partners at re-universe, we’re looking to encourage more businesses to make circular design standard practice throughout their operation.”

Rachel Warren, CEO of re-universe, said “Blenheim Palace is leading the way with a digital reuse scheme that engages visitors, delivers cup-to-cup traceability and accurate real-time data. This project shines a light on how a collaborative effort creates meaningful results, with ourselves, Circular&Co., Avery Dennison, GS1, Mitsui and Zebra Technologies alongside an LCA from RECOUP, all working together to create a world-class returns system at a World Heritage Site."

To find out more about Circular&Co and its returnable cup concept, visit circularandco.com/returnable-cup-scheme.