Lisbon has officially become the first European capital to implement a citywide reusable cup system, marking a bold step toward reducing plastic waste and promoting circular economy practices. Spearheaded through a partnership between the City of Lisbon, TOMRA, and AHRESP (Portugal’s national hospitality association), the initiative is designed to revolutionize the way the city handles single-use beverage containers.
Launched on June 26, the system introduces smart return points in key city locations, where customers can return reusable cups and receive a full deposit refund via a simple tap of their card or phone no registration required. The first kiosks at Praça de São Paulo and Praça do Príncipe Real are already live, with full rollout scheduled for October 2025.
A System Built for Modern Urban Living
At the heart of this transformation is TOMRA’s Rotake system a comprehensive reuse model that manages every aspect of cup logistics: from digital tracking and collection to sanitization and redistribution. Known for its innovations in automated reverse vending, TOMRA is tailoring its technology to meet the dynamic needs of a bustling urban environment.
“We’re proud to partner with Lisbon on this first-of-its-kind city system in a European capital,” said Geir Sæther, Head of TOMRA Reuse. “It’s a model built for the real world efficient, hygienic, and rewarding for everyone involved.”
Every night in Lisbon’s nightlife zones, an estimated 25,000 cups are used and often discarded even when labeled as reusable. Until now, there was no centralized system to reclaim and recirculate these items. Lisbon’s new infrastructure aims to change that.
Regulation Meets Innovation
This city-wide initiative follows the enforcement of a municipal ban on single-use plastic cups, a pioneering regulation that demanded real infrastructure to back it up. With TOMRA’s scalable technology and strong support from city leadership and local businesses, Lisbon is positioned to deliver measurable impact.
“Lisbon is committed to leading by example,” said Rui Cordeiro, City Councillor for Waste Management and Circular Economy. “This isn’t just policy it’s a cultural shift toward smarter consumption, and we hope to inspire other cities to do the same.”
Industry Backing from the Hospitality Sector
Crucial to the project’s success is support from Lisbon’s hospitality industry. Through AHRESP, Portugal’s largest hospitality association, cafés, bars, and night venues are being brought into the reuse loop both as participants and champions of change.
“This initiative redefines how the HoReCa sector approaches sustainability,” said Carlos Moura, President of AHRESP. “It empowers businesses to comply with regulations while co-leading a broader transformation toward circular practices.”
Launching with Purpose at MUDE
To celebrate the system’s debut, Lisbon hosted the “Lisboa a Reutilizar” summit at the Museu do Design (MUDE) on June 25. The event brought together policymakers, sustainability experts, and city planners to explore the reuse model and test the TOMRA return system first-hand.
How the System Works:
- Drinks are served in standardized reusable cups with a €0.60 refundable deposit
- Cups can be returned to TOMRA-operated collection machines across the city
- Refunds are processed instantly via contactless card or phone
- TOMRA manages cleaning, logistics, and redistribution end-to-end
By October 2025, all participating venues will use a unified “Lisbon Cup”, and the city plans to have at least 17 return stations throughout the downtown area.
Building on Success—and Aiming Higher
The Lisbon project builds on lessons from TOMRA’s pilot program in Aarhus, Denmark, where over 1 million cups have been returned with an impressive 85% return rate. Lisbon, however, aims to set a new benchmark for capital cities.
“This is bigger than cups,” said Sæther. “It’s about rethinking how cities value resources. Lisbon is proving that with the right tools and partnerships, reuse can be effortless, modern and massively impactful.”