McDonald’s and Costa Coffee are taking part in a cash-for-cups return scheme managed by artificial intelligence.
The high street giants are joined by Greggs, Pret a Manger and Caffe Nero for the pilot project in Cardiff.
Consumers in the Welsh capital can earn 5p for every paper cup they return to one of 20 participating outlets over the next three months.
The scheme is being run by charity Keep Wales Tidy in partnership with the National Cup Recycling Scheme and waste sorting app Bower.
Customers purchasing drinks in paper cups from participating retailers can download the Bower app, scan their cup with an AI photoscanner and return it to one of the stores for recycling.
Owen Derbyshire, chief executive at Keep Wales Tidy, said the scheme was a “fantastic opportunity for Cardiff to lead the way in paper cup recycling”.
Berfin Mert, co-founder at Bower, added: “Thanks to AI object detection technology, developed in collaboration with Google, consumers can instantly identify and recycle their paper cups and get rewarded for their good acts.”
Hannah Osman, national cup recycling manager at Valpak, said: “We’re excited about the potential to expand this initiative, making it even easier for people across the UK to recycle their cups while earning rewards through Bower.”
