- April 6, 2025
- Posted by: SportsV
- Categories: Home News, Industry News, News, Press Releases
An emerging trend is quietly transforming the matchday refreshment experience at the UK’s biggest venues – and it’s coming from an unexpected source: the humble drinking cup.
As venues face mounting pressure to balance premium service with sustainability targets, a new solution – “self-destructing” cups – is gaining rapid adoption across major stadiums.
Containing technology developed by innovators based at Imperial College London, these cups have the unique ability to return to nature (aka self-destruct) if they escape the recycling stream; tackling one of sport’s most persistent waste challenges.
Twickenham Stadium (now Allianz Stadium Twickenham) were the first adopters of these cups in June 2022, collecting them and recycling them into kicking tees and benches to be distributed to youth rugby clubs across the country. The launch was covered at the time by the Sun and the Metro, and are endorsed by Ross Kemp.
Since then, the technology has quietly spread to Premier League stadiums, international cricket grounds and major concert venues, with users including Nottingham Forest Football Club and Kent County Cricket Club.
SVB LIVE events focus on elevating the live experience through Architecture & Design, Commercialisation, Customer Journey, Fan & Premium Experience, Hospitality, Interiors & Fit-Out, Sustainability and Technology. The 2025 SVB LIVE Conference & Exhibition is being held at Villa Park, October 6-7, with the next Networking Event taking place in Fulham Pier’s new Riverside Stand on June 4th.
The scale of adoption reveals a significant shift in venue operations:
- From 10 million cups in 2023 to 20 million deployed across major European venues in 2024.
- Recent expansion into Middle East venues, signaling international momentum.
- First-ever use at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour at Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, serving over 67,000 fans.
The cups are produced by leading smart packaging and tableware supplier eGreen, utilising the technology from British innovators Polymateria.
For fans, it’s a premium drinks experience that aligns with growing environmental consciousness. For venues, it’s a practical solution that works within existing operations with minimal complexity – delivering both operational efficiency and sustainability.
SVB LIVE events are organised by Sports Venue Business – the leading platform for sector news, views and developments – and feature Global Networking Events, a webinar series and the annual SVB LIVE Conference & Exhibition.
Check out the latest sports and entertainment venue development data from across the globe in the exclusive, subscription-only, SVB Global Report here.
