And finally…French Duncan offers free reusable coffee cups in zero waste economy drive

With a number of coffee shops, such as Starbucks, Pret a Manger and Costa, offer valuable discounts and incentives to customers providing their own portable cups, FD said its initiative could also save you money.

The firm said it is taking the step as part of its commitment to the zero waste economy, pointing to figures which show consumers in the UK throw away 2.5 million disposable coffee cups each year, enough waste to circle the planet Earth five and a half times.

The majority of this waste is not recycled, as there are only four UK companies capable of recycling the type of material used to make disposalable cups.

Up to half a million of the UK’s disposable coffee cups end up littering the city streets and poor recycling rates mean the issue of the plastic-lined, disposable cups has prompted MPs to call for a 25p “latte levy” to be added to the price of coffees sold in disposable cups, on much the same lines as the 5p carrier bag levy which is in place to tackle plastic carrier bag waste and landfill issues.

French Duncan said its coffee cups can be collected from the reception area of its branches in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling and Hamilton, while stock lasts.