Lisbon is leading the urban sustainability movement by launching the first-ever city-wide reusable cup system in a European capital. Guided by the TOMRA-powered deposit-return model, this innovative scheme is setting new standards in the reuse economy—and offering Lisbon’s vibrant hospitality scene a sleek, waste-cutting alternative.
⚒️ How It Works
- Launch Points: Since 27 June 2025, two pilot return stations have been installed at historic kiosks in Praça de São Paulo and Praça do Príncipe Real.
- Deposit Process: Customers pay a €0.60 refundable deposit for each drink served in a reusable cup. Returning the cup triggers a technology enabled instant refund.
- Technology in Play: TOMRA ensures the full lifecycle—tracking, cleaning, and redistributing cups to maintain hygienic reuse loops.
- Scaling Up: A full rollout is planned for October 2025, including 17 strategically located return points across downtown Lisbon and a standardized “Lisbon Cup” for all participating venues.
🌍 Why It Matters
- Lisbon’s nightlife empties about 25,000 cups nightly, many of which lacked a proper recovery system—this initiative plugs that gap.
- The move was triggered by the Municipal Regulation banning single-use plastic cups, demanding strong reuse infrastructure to enforce compliance.
🗑️ Lisbon’s model builds on the success of Aarhus, Denmark, where TOMRA’s pilot achieved over 1 million cups returned and a return rate above 85% in 18 months. Lisbon aims to surpass that milestone with capital-specific scale, according to the reports.
Both Aarhus and Lisbon are an inspiration for other cities and show that where there is will, there is a way.
Sources: Euronews, Tomra, Packaging Europe
Picture: Freepik
