Sustainability
Reusable Cup System
Term from the vending glossary
Reusable cup system for hot beverage vending machines: users bring their own cup or use a deposit system (e.g. RECUP). Reduces packaging waste per 100 servings from approximately 0.8 kg to nearly zero. Since 2025, economically more attractive due to regulatory fees on single-use plastics.
Reusable cups replace single-use cups with a vessel that is rinsed and reused—either as a customer-supplied container or through a deposit system with return points. On a coffee vending machine, this introduces a technical consideration: the dispensing outlet must be positioned high enough, and the cup detection system must handle instances where no cup is discharged from the magazine.
Economically, the model depends on savings from eliminated single-use cups and regulatory fees on disposable plastics. Operating costs include rinsing, shrinkage, and return logistics. For fixed-staff locations, the economics favour reusable systems more than for walk-in-only sites.