Lisbon is making history as the first European capital to roll out a city-wide reusable cup system backed by a local deposit-return model, tackling the problem of thousands of cups littered in public spaces, every night.
The scheme is a collaboration between the City of Lisbon, reverse vending pioneers TOMRA, and the nation’s largest hospitality association AHRESP (Associação da Hotelaria, Restauração e Similares de Portugal).
The first system fully integrated with city infrastructure and regulation, it is designed to tackle plastic waste, slash emissions, and bring a smarter reuse model to the city’s bustling nightlife and hospitality sector.
From 27 June, initial TOMRA-operated return points went live at two historical kiosks (quiosques) in Praça de São Paulo and Praça do Príncipe Real. Customers purchasing drinks receive them in reusable cups, paying a deposit that is fully refunded upon return, simply by tapping their card or phone at a collection point.
Full roll-out of the reusable cup system across Lisbon is planned for October 2025.
Smart system for urban life
The project is powered by TOMRA’s Rotake system — a full-service reuse model that includes digital tracking, cup collection, sanitation, and redistribution. A pioneer in fully-automated reverse vending tech, TOMRA is managing the entire lifecycle of the cups to ensure efficiency, hygiene, and environmental performance.
The solution is a perfect fit for Lisbon, says Geir Sæther, Head of TOMRA Reuse:
“We’re proud to partner with Lisbon on this first-of-its-kind city system in a European capital. The system deployed is specifically designed for urban areas – making reuse easy, clean and rewarding for everyone involved.”
In total, some 25,000 cups get used every night across entertainment areas in Lisbon. Despite these cups being labelled and sold as ‘reusable’, no system has been in place to collect, clean and recirculate them.
This had resulted in a serious and persistent urban litter problem.
Policy meets infrastructure
Municipal regulation already banned single-use plastic cups, in a bold move needing robust infrastructure to succeed. With TOMRA’s scalable system and strong local buy-in, Lisbon is now ready to deliver real impact.
Signals matter, says Rui Cordeiro, City of Lisbon Councillor for Waste Management and Circular Economy:
“Lisbon is committed to leading by example, promoting sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics and engaging partners in real change toward more conscious consumption habits. This is a concrete step towards building a culture of reuse in our city and inspiring other municipalities to follow the same path.”
Vital hospitality sector is on board
Crucial to the system’s success is participation from the hospitality sector. AHRESP, Portugal’s largest hospitality association, is helping bring cafés, bars, and nightlife venues into the reuse loop.
Circularity brings responsibilities, but also benefits, argues Carlos Moura, President of AHRESP:
“This initiative represents a necessary shift for the hotel, restaurant and catering sector (HoReCa), which now takes on an active and central role in the transition towards a more circular economy.
“Establishments not only gain a practical solution to comply with the new regulations, but also an opportunity to lead, together with consumers, a sustainable and positive change in habits for the city of Lisbon.”
Live demo at MUDE summit
The system was showcased during the Lisboa a Reutilizar summit at Lisbon’s Museo de Design (MUDE). Attendees – including policymakers, urban planners, and environmental leaders – got a hands-on look at how the system works, including the TOMRA return point and refund process. The process is as follows:
- Consumers receive drinks in reusable cups for a refundable €0.60 deposit;
- Cups can be returned to TOMRA collection machines, placed across the city;
- No registration is needed – participants just tap a contactless card or phone to receive the refund;
- TOMRA manages logistics, sanitation, and redistribution for a seamless loop.
By October, the city will introduce a standardised Lisbon cup for all participating bars and venues in central neighbourhoods, with 17 return points planned across the downtown area.
Raising the bar on Aarhus model
The Lisbon initiative builds on TOMRA’s success in Aarhus, Denmark, where over one million cups have been reused with a return rate exceeding 85% after 18 months.
Lisbon aims to go even further, setting the benchmark for capital cities across Europe, concludes Sæther:
“This is not just about cups. It’s about changing how cities think about resources. Lisbon is showing that with the right partners and smart policy, reuse can be mainstream, modern, and massively effective.”
Collaboration around circular economy
As the capital of Portugal and the most westernmost in Europe, Lisbon receives over 19 million visitors annually. Its municipal authority, Câmara Municipal de Lisboa (Lisbon City Council) governs 24 parishes and serves over half a million residents, with a broader metro population exceeding three million.
The Portuguese Association of Hotels, Restaurants and Similar Establishments, AHRESP (Associação da Hotelaria, Restauração e Similares de Portugal) represents the country’s hospitality and tourism sectors. Supporting businesses large and small, the association advocates for sustainable growth and innovation.
TOMRA Reuse is part of the TOMRA Group, a global leader in circular economy solutions. TOMRA has over 113,000 installations worldwide and generates €1.35bn in revenues (2024). The company’s mission is to create a world without waste through smart collection, sorting, and reuse technology.
Further Reading:
- More about reverse vending technology pioneer TOMRA Reuse; part of the TOMRA Group;
- More about Câmara Municipal de Lisboa (Lisbon City Council);
- More on sector association AHRESP (Associação da Hotelaria, Restauração e Similares de Portugal);
- Also on SustMeme, Reusable packaging cuts construction site waste;
- Also on SustMeme, Eco packaging in flat-out first for organic wine;
- Also on SustMeme, Packaging: cutting plastic and carbon from katsu curry;
- Also on SustMeme, Pollution on rise as only 9% plastic waste recycled;
- Also on SustMeme, How can we close the global Circularity Gap?
Check out the full archive of stories on the SustMeme Circular Economy Channel, now available to Sponsor.
