Leicester Tigers, the English Premiership rugby union club, has struck a partnership deal with STACK-CUP that will lead to a drastic reduction of plastic use at Welford Road Stadium.
Between 16,000 and 18,000 pint cups are used at the stadium during each game, but as stocks of the pint and half-pint cups will be replenished on a regular basis, waste will be significantly reduced.
STACK-CUP has a unique, globally patented handle design that negates the need for cardboard trays or plastic sleeves, boosting the club’s zero-to-landfill target.
Fans will be required to pay a £1 deposit on the first cup of the day and then return with that cup, to receive a clean one for each following drink. At the end of each match, fans can either hand their cup back at a number of specific return points and recoup their deposit, or take it home as a souvenir.
A series of cups with Tigers branding, including player-specific designs, are being produced.
The new initiative has coincided with a drive for cashless payment technology at Welford Road, announced last month.
“As a club we are acutely aware that we all need to be conscious of the excessive use of plastic,” the club’s fundraising and administration manager, Alec Brown, said.
“The club is committed to a number of ‘green’ initiatives at Welford Road and Oval Park [the club’s training ground] and this new deal with STACK-CUP is another step forward on our sustainability journey.”
STACK-CUP’s global managing director, James Roles, added: “The need to reduce both plastic use and waste has never been so important, so it’s fantastic to see major clubs taking a lead and doing their bit to tackle what is an environmental emergency.”
Image: Leicester Tigers
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