From Friday 27 June, the first Tomra-operated return points went live at two historical kiosks, in Portuguese 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 the collection point. Full roll-out of the reusable cup system is planned for October 2025.
The project is powered by Tomra’s “Rotake” system – a full-service reuse model including digital tracking, cup collection, sanitation, and redistribution. Tomra is managing the entire lifecycle of the cups to ensure efficiency, hygiene, and environmental performance.
Every night, 25,000 cups are used across Lisbon’s entertainment areas. Despite cups being labeled and sold as “reusable”, 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, a bold move that required robust infrastructure to succeed. With Tomra’s scalable system and strong local buy-in, the city is now ready to deliver real impact.
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.
How it works
- 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 needed – 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 standardized “Lisbon cup” for all participating bars and venues in central neighborhoods, with 17 return points planned across the downtown area.
