Coffee Service

Nestlé, Jacobs Douwe Egberts launch coffee pod recycling

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February 25, 2021

Nestlé and Jacobs Douwe Egberts UK, the two biggest players in the U.K. coffee industry, covering brands including Nespresso, Nescafé Dolce Gusto and Tassimo, are joining forces to create Podback: a recycling program for coffee pods, according to a press release.

Podback, a not-for-profit organization, is the U.K.'s first cross-industry collaboration of its kind within the coffee sector, providing several ways for U.K. consumers to recycle their coffee pods, according to the release.

Launching in early 2021 the scheme will initially cover brands including Nespresso, Nescafé Dolce Gusto and Tassimo — representing the majority of the U.K. market, the goal being to expand the program to include all coffee brands that use plastic or aluminum pods in the U.K.

Podback will expand recycling options for coffee pods in three ways.

Consumers will be able to take their used coffee pods to their nearest Collect+ delivered by Yodel drop-off point. There are more than 6,500 drop-off points in local stores across the U.K. open seven days a week.

Coffee pods will also be collected alongside their regular household waste and recycling. This has not previously been possible within the U.K.'s waste infrastructure. Exeter City Council, Cheltenham Borough Council and South Derbyshire District Council are in discussions with Podback to become the first confirmed partners, meaning that from launch, over 330,000 residents living in these areas will be able to have their pods collected alongside their household waste and recycling.

Podback is also in ongoing discussions with retailers to facilitate a "handover at home" option, meaning that consumers can have their used coffee pods collected for recycling when they have their groceries delivered.