How to swap to a reusable coffee cup – a café to café size guide

How to swap to a reusable coffee cup – a café to café size guide
16th March 2021 Team Ecoffee Cup
In Blog Posts

How to swap to a reusable coffee cup – a café to café size guide

There are a lot of alarming stats around about single-use coffee cups: From powerful headlines highlighting that over 300 billion are used globally each year for takeaway drinks, to the sobering statistic that Britain alone gets through well over 2.5 billion single-use cups, with less than two percent being recycled. And COVID has only made these numbers worse.

One message that remains consistent is that 98% the single-use cups we throw away end up in landfill and eventually our oceans. Recycling is not the answer, unless we change our behaviour, the problem is only going to get worse.

Changing behaviour isn’t something that happens overnight, but we all need to start somewhere, so to help you along your journey, here is our café to café guide to help you switch out single-use for a reusable alternative to match.

Your favourite coffee shop drink sizes

When it comes to buying coffee, the average coffee lover is spoilt for choice. While we can’t list every single coffee shop, here is our size guide for the most popular coffee shops and the Ecoffee Cup size to match.

Coffee Shop

Size

Volume

Ecoffee Cup Alternative

Starbucks

Short

8oz/ 250ml

Tall

12oz/ 350ml

Grande

16oz/ 475ml

Venti

20oz/ 500ml

Not Available at Ecoffee Cup

Costa

Primo

12oz/  350ml

Medio

12oz/  350ml

Massimo

20oz/ 500ml

Not Available at Ecoffee Cup

McDonald’s McCafé

Small

12oz/ 350ml

Medium

16oz/ 475ml

Large

20oz/ 500ml

Not Available at Ecoffee Cup

Caffè Nero

Small

8oz/ 250ml

Regular

12oz/ 350ml

Grande

16oz/ 475ml

Pret

Macchiato / Espresso

4oz/ 120ml

Flat White

8oz/ 250ml

All Other Drinks

12oz/ 350ml

Greggs

All Drinks

8oz to 16oz

In addition to the cup sizes listed above, we also have 4oz/ 120ml and 14oz/ 400ml. So, whether you’re starting your day with a latte from Starbucks, or grabbing a cappuccino from your local McCafe, there’s an Ecoffee Cup size and style especially for you.

Confronting the barriers to reusable coffee cups

You might think that using a reusable coffee cup is a no-brainer, but there is still a large number of coffee shop regulars that still seem unconvinced. A recent study by the University of Coventry found that key barriers to switching to a reusable include the fear of leaks, or having it take up space in their bag all day.

While we can’t do anything about space (other than suggesting a smaller cup, or a bigger bag!) we do have solutions to allay fears of leaks. Firstly our lids and stoppers are secure to minimise the chances of spillage. And for added safety, our storage bags are perfect for keeping your cup tucked away nice and securely after use.

Attitudes to reusables are changing

Now more than ever, it is socially encouraged to have a reusable cup. If you still find yourself feeling self-conscious about the cleanliness of your cup, our Re-usable Cup Stain Remover is on hand to help remove even the most stubborn stains so you can carry your reusable cup with pride.

At Ecoffee Cup we believe that not one style is right for everyone, that’s why we have created a range of reusable coffee cups in floral, geometric and patterns as well as over 15 solid colours ensure there is a cup to match your personality, mood or outfit choice.

We can all play a part in creating change

It’s clear that getting coffee shop visitors to ditch single-use cups for reusable ones is as much about changing their attitudes, as anything. Coffee shops are doing their bit by offering discounts for those choose to re-use, but there’s still a long way to go to create a meaningful step change. The onus remains on the consumer to make these changes – and, let’s face it, if we can leave home and remember our phone, our keys, our wallet and now our mask, remembering our reusable cup should be a piece of cake.