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Eat and shop sustainably

Find out how you can eat, drink and shop sustainably on campus.

There are many ways you can implement sustainable measures into your eating and shopping routine. Bring your reusable YORCUP coffee cup, dive into the Swap Shop to trade clothing, and explore Scoop for eco-friendly groceries. Get involved with our "Shop, Save, and Sustain" scheme to enjoy eating for less while helping reduce food waste.

Eat and drink sustainably

Shop, Save and Sustain scheme

Our Shop, Save and Sustain scheme aims to tackle food waste on campus alongside raising money for local charities and giving staff and students the opportunity to grab a bargain.

The scheme offers up to 50% off hot meals 15 minutes before lunch ends at outlets serving hot food. Make sure to bring your own container for takeaways. Up to 50% off some chilled food is also available 15 minutes before closing. This includes items nearing expiry, damaged goods, and other potential waste. Visit selected campus restaurants between 7:15pm and 7:30pm to buy selected hot meals for £2.50, with £1 from each purchase donated to a York food charity.

Shop, Save and Sustain

Purchase a YORCUP on campus to help reduce the number of single-use coffee cups sent to landfill. How does it work? Buy a YORCUP and sleeve for £5 from any outlet on campus and get your first drink for free. Enjoy your drink and return the YORCUP to any outlet to be washed and stored, but keep your sleeve. For your next drink, show your sleeve and it will be served in a clean YORCUP.
We charge 35p for each single-use coffee cup, and every penny raised goes directly towards funding new sustainable initiatives. You can avoid the latte levy by bringing your own cup, using our crockery and drinking in, or purchasing and using a YORCUP. Since its inception in 2019, we have accumulated a total of £153,816 to reinvest in sustainable projects and endeavours.
All water fountains on campus are registered on the Refill App, including all of the catering outlets, where staff will happily fill your water bottle for you. Refill connects you to places to eat, drink and shop with less waste. Anyone can download the free Refill app to tap into a global network of places to reduce, reuse and refill.

Commercial Services sustainability

Commercial Services Catering and Hospitality plays a key role in the provision and support of more sustainable choices for our customers. Find out more about their initiatives and how you can get involved in eating and drinking more sustainably.

Shop sustainably

Scoop

Shop sustainably with Scoop, a student co-operative run by its members in Derwent College (to your right as you walk towards Courtyard), room D/M/028, providing organic, exploitation-free and local produce at affordable prices.

Scoop

Swap, donate and sell

For staff: Slack channels

Sell, donate or collect items through the University’s recycle slack channels: #recycle-chat - advertise or collect free items for private and home use. #recycle-for-sale-or-wanted - advertise items that you would like to sell rather than throw away and collect items that you would like to buy. Use Warp IT for UoY owned items.
Swap Shop is a Facebook page (not affiliated with the University) that allows members to post unwanted items that can be swapped and or sold to other students at the University.
Swap don’t shop is a student-led project that aims to promote sustainable and ethical fashion consumption through regular clothing swaps. They host swap events throughout the year.