CAMPAIGN TO KEEP COSTA COFFEE OUT OF COMMUNITY Press Release
CAMPAIGN TO KEEP COSTA COFFEE MACHINE OUT OF COMMUNITY
Petition launched to highlight the of real ‘Cost’ of Costa to local businesses and the local environment
Local environmental charity Plastic Free North Devon, are today announcing a community campaign to protect Braunton from the continued spread of unnecessary single use, disposable packaging.
Tesco are imminently planning to introduce a Costa Express automated coffee machine in their Braunton store; this campaign demands Tesco reverse their decision to install the machine.
Costa Coffee was recently found to be the tenth most polluting brand in the UK by Surfers Against Sewage with their parent company Coca Cola heading the list for a third year in a row. As well as increasing the amount of single use packaging from cups and lids, local cafes and takeaways are expected to see coffee sales further hit as consumer discretionary spend is already reducing from the cost of living crisis.
Alongside this the charity has been working hard with local coffee shops and cafes to promote the use of refills and eliminating single use cups in some businesses altogether, in an effort to reduce the impact of this waste on our local environment. The addition of another Costa Express machine in Braunton is a big blow to the hard work already put in to protect the area. The first machine was subtly installed in COOP on Braunton high street in spring 2021.
“We are deeply disappointed with Tesco’s decision,” stated Claire Moodie, CEO, Plastic Free North Devon. “Tesco Braunton sits within the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere, on the edge of the North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the newly declared North Devon World Surfing Reserve. Welcoming over 5 million visitors each year, we as a community are in a position to lead sustainable behaviour change that will not only protect the abundant nature right here on our doorstep but also feedback into our wider communities.
“This action completely undermines the direction of travel we were heading as a community with regards to eliminating single-use waste,” Claire continues. “At a time when we all face an unprecedented cost of living crisis, encouraging residents to spend money with a global coffee retailer will impact Braunton’s small businesses and totally lacks long term benefits for the whole resident and business community.”
The North Devon World Surfing Reserve was formed to address threats to the surfing eco-system in the area, including plastic pollution. Plastic Free North Devon is a valuable member of the World Surfing Reserve Local Stewardship Council leading this effort and other efforts to limit plastic pollution within the reserve helping further its goals.
Braunton resident Ben Hewitt is one of the founding members of the World Surfing Reserve and former chair of Surfers Against Sewage and says:
“We fully support the work of Plastic Free North Devon to protect our coastline from the scourge of single use plastic. Their campaigning is vital to stem the tide of plastic waste which we see in our rivers and coastline within the newly designated World Surfing Reserve. Braunton has 12 independent cafes and local businesses already serving great coffee and this includes a locally owned coffee shop a few steps from the front door of the supermarket. Adding a Costa Express, which by its very nature increases the threat and acceptance of single use waste, reflects the worst kind of throwaway quick-profiteering culture at the expense of the environment and local businesses. "
“I am very surprised at this decision,” added Justin Duerden, owner of local coffee shop 51 Degrees North Coffee.“ We have removed our single use cups from our coffee shop to help protect North Devon’s natural environment. Seeing Tesco act in a way that will increase single use is baffling, and doing this at a time when small businesses are facing very tough times just doesn't seem ethical. This decision does not align with our values of community and environmental conservation.”
An online petition has been launched allowing local residents and businesses to show their disappointment at Tesco’s decision and support the campaign.
Please sign our petition to object to its very imminent installation >> https://chng.it/mTXwcP7Bfw
You can also show your support by attending a peaceful demonstration outside Braunton Tesco on Saturday morning - times TBC. Check the Plastic Free North Devon social media pages or website for more info.
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Please find below PFND official letter and Tesco official response
Subject: Community objection to installation of takeaway Costa machine in Braunton, North Devon. Please respond appropriately to our objection by 5pm on Friday.
To whom it may concern,
I’m writing on behalf of local environmental charity, Plastic Free North Devon > www.plasticfreenorthdeon.org and the North Devon World Surf Reserve > https://www.northdevonsurfreserve.org/ to object against the planned installation of a Costa takeaway machine into Tesco Braunton this coming Monday (5th September).
We strongly believe that this will have a detrimental impact on our environment and local community. Our objections are outlined below:
1) Increase in use of single-use plastic cups and diversion from our community REFILL push
Local independent cafe 51 degrees (who rent a unit around the corner from Tesco) have worked really hard to completely remove single use cups from their business and are currently working with us on providing a toolkit to get the rest of Braunton and Croyde to follow suit. We work tirelessly to provide tools for the community to band together to do the right thing and drive sustainable behavior change; this sort of move is sending us in the opposite direction.
In addition to providing single use cups, the machines do not offer concessions for people who do bring their own reusable cup, so there will be little or no incentive for members of the public to do so.
2) Negative impact on local businesses
Braunton has 12 independent cafes, and the installation of another 'convenient' option for people to use whilst doing their shopping could stop them from stopping in the village or going around the corner to other cafes close by. Tesco Braunton is a friendly, community based store, and we do not believe that this move reflects the values of our community in any way.
3) Increased amount of waste and littering.Coca-Cola, the parent company of Costa, was again identified for the second time running as the biggest plastic pollution source during the brand audits carried out as part of Surfers Against Sewage beach, river, and street cleans during 2021-2022 . We do not want to perpetuate this or allow for the company responsible to put a service in place that will further add to these levels of pollution. We need to turn the tap off.
4) Does not contribute to our local economy
Money earned from this service will go directly into shareholders’ pockets. Coffee delivered by Costa is not sourced from South West roasters, unlike many of our independent cafes. It does not provide employment for local people or support any local suppliers.
With a looming recession and cost of living crisis contributing to a tightening of people’s wallets, we should be doing everything we can to support our local businesses to alleviate the impact this will have.
Braunton Tesco presents itself as a friendly, community focused store. Over the years the staff have done much for the local community. We believe this decision goes against the values that Braunton Tesco have previously promoted. The store itself sits at the heart of the North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere reserve and is the main store that serves most of the beaches within the newly declared North Devon World Surf Reserve. The region is a very special place where people feel connected to the environment and have a yearning desire to protect the place they live, work and play in.
We would appreciate a response to our concerns before 5pm on Friday. My personal research shows that many in the community are ready to stand shoulder to shoulder with a campaign to reverse Braunton Tesco’s decision to introduce a Costa Coffee offering.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes,
Claire Moodie
CEO Plastic Free North Devon
Tesco Official Response
Dear Claire,
Thank you very much for your response. I am also aware of the email to Ken’s team who shared it with me; I am the communications manager for Tesco in the South of England. My apologies my previous reply did not make clear we have also received the email to Ken and this is a response on behalf of all parts of the Tesco business.
We are always open to feedback and I have shared your comments with our team. In this instance we are confident a Costa express will be a popular new service for the community to enjoy and remain committed to introducing this offer in Braunton superstore. We are proud to be an active local store and continue to make a strong contribution to the local community.
You raise a number of points questioning Costa, their sustainability and their ownership model, which really would be points best addressed to Costa themselves. While some people will find the information available on the Costa website reassuring, if it is insufficient for you, I am sure Costa would be able to answer the questions you raise and they have provided their contact e mail address which is sustainability@costacoffee.com.
I appreciate this is not the response you are hoping for and kindly reiterate that we see this as an optional service for customers who choose to use it, which we are excited to introduce.
Kind regards
Jess
Jessica McCulloch
Communications Manager, London & South East
Group Communications