In July, a cross-party group of more than 20 MPs called on the government to outlaw single-use plastic pint cups in a bid to combat plastic pollution. Parliamentarians, including the Green Party’s Caroline Lucas, and organisations such as CAMRA, have backed A Plastic Planet’s ‘Plastic Free Pint’ campaign, seeking an outright ban on plastic pint cups such as those used during music festivals and live sporting events.
According to The Caterer, in the UK, some 100 million plastic cups are used annually at festivals and sporting events. Plastic pint cups are the sixth most commonly found plastic item in Britain’s rivers, and the eighth on the nation’s beaches. Globally 500 bn plastic cups are used each year. In April, a poll by Yonder found that 89% of Britons wanted plastic pint cups banned in a bid to protect the environment and some 75% of respondents also believed plastic pint cups ‘cheapen the experience’ of their favourite beer.
Now, Luton, UK-based Seal Packaging has launched a certified plastic-free alternative for pubs, bars, festivals and live sporting events, in what is believed to be the UK’s first UKCA marked plastic-free paper cups.
“If people really care about the environment, this certified home-compostable and recyclable, repulpable, biodegradable, free from PLA and PE range of paper cups is a must,” says Sally Gabbitas.
Available in 10oz, 20oz and 22oz sizes plus a 4oz size for tasting, the cups have the prestigious Flustix No Plastic certification by Din Certco, and are the only UKCA mark registered paper cups for 10oz and 20oz.
“We all know that plastic is no longer seen as the answer, and anyway, paper delivers so many advantages beyond its sustainability credentials, as it can easily be printed across the whole surface in CMYK or spot colours,” says Gabbitas. “So, you can actually put a whole poster into consumers’ hands, or run competitions which link through to your current digital campaign with QR codes.”
