The National Cup Recycling Scheme is excited to have teamed up with Bower and Keep Wales Tidy to launch the Cardiff Bower Cup Recycling Project, officially starting on April 22nd 2025.
The Cardiff Bower App Project is an innovative initiative aimed at making paper cup recycling easier and more engaging for everyone. With a strong focus on waste reduction and promoting sustainable behaviours, the Bower waste sorting app leverages incentives to motivate individuals and businesses to recycle more effectively.
How it works
The three-month pilot will encourage Cardiff residents to recycle their used paper cups at participating Caffè Nero, Costa Coffee, Greggs, McDonald’s, and Pret a Manger stores in return for a 5p reward.
Customers purchasing drinks in paper cups from these retailers can:
- Download the Bower waste sorting app
- Scan their cup
- Return it to a participating store for proper recycling
Each returned cup earns a 5p reward via the app, making recycling both simple and worthwhile.
Why it matters
This initiative is a unique collaboration between competing brands, uniting in the fight against landfill waste. While reusable cup use is on the rise, single-use cups remain a significant challenge, with an estimated 2.5 billion paper cups disposed of each year in the UK, many of which end up in landfill due to improper recycling.
About the Bower app
The Bower App is a user-friendly platform designed to help residents and businesses in Cardiff engage in paper cup recycling. It offers tools to manage and recycle waste more efficiently, and turns recycling into a fun and rewarding experience.
By offering real incentives, Bower encourages environmentally responsible behaviours that support waste reduction and resource conservation.
Pilot timeline
The pilot runs from 22 April for three months, giving Cardiff residents and visitors the opportunity to take part in a pioneering recycling initiative.
All you need to do is:
Download the Bower app, scan your cup, return it, and earn rewards—while helping to keep Wales tidy.