LISBON has become the first European capital to roll out a city-wide reusable cup system backed by a local deposit-return model.
The initiative is driven by a collaboration between the City of Lisbon, TOMRA, and AHRESP (Associação da Hotelaria, Restauração e Similares de Portugal). The first TOMRA-operated return points have gone live at two kiosks in Praça de São Paulo and Praça do PrÃncipe Real.
Customers purchasing drinks receive them in reusable cups, paying a deposit that is fully refunded upon return by tapping their card or phone at the collection point. Full roll-out of the system is planned for October 2025.
The project is powered by TOMRA’s ‘Rotake’ system – a reuse model including digital tracking, cup collection, sanitation, and redistribution.
“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. “The system deployed in Lisbon is designed specifically for urban areas – making reuse easy, clean and rewarding for everyone involved.”
Every night, 25,000 cups are used across Lisbon’s entertainment areas. Despite cups being labelled as ‘reusable’, TOMRA explained that no system has been in place to collect, clean and recirculate cups.
The roll-out follows the Lisbon Municipal Regulation banning single-use plastic cups.
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.
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 look at how the system works, including the TOMRA return point and refund process.
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.
The initiative builds on TOMRA’s success in Aarhus, Denmark, where over one million cups have been returned with a return rate exceeding 85% after 18 months. Lisbon aims to go even further – setting the benchmark for capital cities across Europe.
