The German Ministry of the Environment announced that all football stadiums in Germany will witness reusable cups in all German soccer stadiums by fans, with the resumption of the German League (Bundesliga) competitions, starting next Friday, after the end of the winter break for competition. Just like restaurants, bistros, and cafés that sell food on the go, stadium operators are legally obliged to also offer reusable packaging, the Federal Ministry for the Environment announced. The reusable variant must not be more expensive than the product in the disposable packaging and must be offered in the same size. According to the German Environmental Aid (DUH), 17 out of 18 first-division clubs already used reusable cups at the start of the current Bundesliga season. FC Schalke 04 was the last club to give in – at the latest possible date: January 1, 2023. Cups in a royal blue design should now be available for a deposit of two euros. Just five years ago, ten clubs in the premier league would have used disposable cups, causing a mountain of waste of more than 8.5 million plastic cups every year. “Reusing cups to serve drinks is the best way to avoid waste, save energy and protect the climate,” said the DUH. After the fifth use, reusable cups could be more environmentally friendly than the common disposable versions.
The German Organization for Environmental Protection stated: "Serving drinks in reusable cups is the best way to avoid waste, save energy and reduce the burden on the climate."