Keep Scotland Beautiful's campaign to encourage proper recycling of single-use cups has been branded a success in Glasgow.

The Take It Back initiative was launched last July in collaboration with the National Cup Recycling Scheme and Starbucks.

It encourages users of single-use takeaway cups to return them for proper recycling at one of 121 participating stores across the two cities.

Figures were encouraging with retailers such as Caffe Nero, Costa, Greggs, McDonalds, Pret a Manger, and Starbucks joining hands with Glasgow and Dundee City Councils to demonstrate how easy it is.

The campaign reached an audience beyond the involved retailers as well, with bin and window stickers in stores, as well as online adverts and messages at Glasgow Queen Street Station and on the Subway, increasing the awareness by 26 per cent.

Results were notable too, with single-use cup numbers dropping by 12 per cent in participating retail stores, and by 6 per cent in general bins.

Another achievement was the positive response from people; 27 per cent reported returning a single-use cup for recycling, with 10 per cent returning to a different store than the one from which they bought the drink.

(Image: Keep Scotland Beautiful)

Paul Wallace, campaigns and social innovation manager at Keep Scotland Beautiful, emphasised the goal of the campaign: "We want people to enjoy hot drinks on the go.

"Take It Back helps support people to do the right thing, returning their single-use takeaway cups to stores for recycling therefore reducing the number of single-use cups discarded inappropriately in Scotland".

He also hinted at more collaborations for recycling, including the Cup Box scheme running through the Highland Community Waste Partnership.

Paul added: "We are pleased that single-use cups can still be taken back to participating stores in both cities".

Echoing the positive sentiment, Hannah Osman, national cup recycling manager at Valpak, praised the initiative: "The success of the #TakeItBack project has been a significant achievement, making recycling both visible and convenient for staff and customers alike.

"The National Cup Recycling Scheme is delighted to have been involved in this initiative.

"The key learnings from this project will be crucial as we look to expand #TakeItBack into a nationwide campaign, ensuring that all stores can easily adopt this natural progression in sustainable practices."

More details about the campaign can be found on the #TakeItBack webpage.