A few years ago, my parents bought me a Dolce Gusto coffee machine which I rarely used because the pods could not be recycled. The company has since begun a recycling scheme, so I decided to use what pods I have left. However, the recycling bags are only available if you buy at least 50 more pods. I don’t want more, I just want to avoid putting the ones I already have in landfill. I wonder if you can help force their hand and prevent further plastic waste?
CM, London
Sadly, I can’t. When I questioned Dolce Gusto about its policy it replied, irrelevantly, that its recycling bags are added to all orders on its website. “We hope the activity is a success and at that point we will see how it can be improved and brought to more consumers,” it says. It hopes to make all packaging recyclable by 2025. I asked a second time why customers have to buy more plastic in order to recycle old purchases, but it did not reply. It’s encouraging that the company is trying to make the wasteful process of coffee machines slightly more green, but if it were truly committed it would be taking responsibility for its eco-unfriendly legacy and accept any remaining pods bought before the scheme.
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