Podback and Morrisons have reached a significant milestone in their recycling partnership – collecting over 10m coffee pods, equal to 197 tonnes, so far in 2025*.
Morrisons became the first UK supermarket to introduce in-store Podback recycling units for coffee pods, launching a trial in 29 stores in July 2023. Following a successful trial and the installation of units in 411 Morrisons stores between January and June 2025, customers can pick up Podback recycling bags from the customer services desk and drop them back at any Morrisons store with a dedicated Podback point.
Customer uptake of the scheme has been positive, with the 10m coffee pods collected, equivalent to each of the participating Morrisons stores collecting more than 24,000 coffee pods. The top performing store in Woking, Surrey, has recycled 5 tonnes – equivalent to over 334,000 pods – in just over six months.
The recycling units have had a positive impact across all waste streams. Since Podback’s bins were installed, Morrisons has seen a 17% increase in customers recycling other items, including soft plastics, batteries, ink cartridges and vapes.
Once dropped off, the pods are collected by Podback and recycled in the UK to produce new products including car components, drink cans and building products, while the coffee grounds are also reprocessed to create renewable energy and soil improver.
Rick Hindley, executive director at Podback said: “The nationwide rollout of Podback recycling points in Morrisons supermarkets has proven to be an immediate success with our customers, who want simple and convenient ways to recycle. We are delighted to have reached this milestone within six months, and before the nationwide roll-out of the units was even complete. Morrisons have been a supporter of Podback right from the start in 2021, and we’re excited to see how this partnership continues to develop.”
Natasha Keighley, packaging manager at Morrisons, said: “We are incredibly proud to have helped our customers recycle more than 10 million coffee pods in just six months. It is clear when we make recycling simple and accessible, people want to do the right thing. The success of the Podback rollout, and the positive impact it has had on other recycling steams too, shows how partnerships like this can help us all to waste less and recycle more.”
